Trump and Melania attend inaugural Freedom 250 IndyCar race with staff and family
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President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump watched the first Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington, D.C., accompanied by family members, senior aides and other political allies.
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were present in the spectator box for the inaugural Freedom 250 Grand Prix on Sunday, the first IndyCar race held on the streets of Washington, D.C. The event, organized by a White House-affiliated group, was created to mark the United States' 250th anniversary.
Trump started the race by waving the green flag after a brief lap in the presidential limousine known as “The Beast.” Among those seated nearby were executive assistant Natalie Harp, who has worked for the president for several years, and his son Eric Trump, who spoke publicly about her work ethic earlier this week.
"She’s deeply committed to my father, to her job, and to this country," Eric Trump wrote on social media.
Other attendees included Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, UFC CEO Dana White, former press secretary Karoline Leavitt, and several cabinet secretaries such as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. Donald Trump Jr., his wife Bettina, and Eric Trump’s wife Lara and their children were also in the stands.
The race featured 25 drivers completing 147 laps around a circuit that passed near the Capitol. Driver David Malukas crashed into a wall, and shortly after, driver Sting Ray Robb collided with Malukas; both drivers were unharmed. Kyle Kirkwood won the event.
Organizers expected more than 100,000 spectators, many of whom watched from large screens on the National Mall. Speaker Johnson later said he hopes the race can become an annual event in the capital.