Legendary college football head coach Nick Saban will be joining President Donald Trump at the University of Alabama this week for a special commencement ceremony for the class of 2025.
It was announced last week that the 47th U.S. President will be speaking to students in Coleman Coliseum on Thursday, May 1, for the special occasion, where he will now be joined by none other than one of the institution’s very best in Saban, who led the university’s football team to six national championships across a near-two decade spell between 2007 to 2023.
The 73-year-old, who was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2013, is sure to be a big hit with students and other attendees on the day as he returns to campus – something the university will be hoping plays into its hands amid fears of the event, which starts at 6:30pm, drawing many .
The state of Alabama has traditionally shown strong support for the 78-year-old but these protests are likely to involve both students and prominent outsiders. One such protest, dubbed “Tide Against Trump,” is being organized by the UA College Democrats and is set to take place at Snow Hinton Park from 5-7pm.
The demonstration will feature speeches from former Texas Congressman Beto O’Rourke and former Alabama U.S. Sen. Doug Jones. The student organization has expressed strong opposition to Trump’s attendance, labeling it an “insult” and stating that “UA is not a fascist playground Earlier this year, however, Trump issued a ban on what he referred to as “illegal protests”, insisting that schools or colleges that experience these protests will lose all federal funding. He’s made it clear in the past that protests against him are not appreciated, despite his party’s insistence on the importance of free speech in the US
The U.S. President took to his own social media site Truth Social in March to share quite a chilling statement, where he warned that students caught taking part in these protests would be expelled or arrested, while also mentioning that “agitators will be permanently sent back to the country from which they came”.
Not long after, though, educators and legal experts debunked Trump’s warning, insisting his claim has no legal standing. “Trump’s threat should chill and enrage anyone who cares about the First Amendment,” Gregory Magarian, a Washington University Professor of Law, said.
The First Amendment absolutely prohibits law enforcement from declaring an assembly unlawful because of the assembly’s message — because, for example, an assembly happens to be a protest,” Magarian explained, before also giving insight on Trump’s goal to imprison, deport or expel “agitators.”
As for Saban, he’s generally steered clear of politics, with the exception of supporting his childhood friend, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia. However, the Alabama Democratic Party hinted in 2024 that it would welcome him running for the U.S. Senate against Tuberville under its banner.
During a conference call in 2020, Trump, while endorsing former Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville’s U.S. Senate run, mistakenly referred to Saban by the wrong name. “He’s great, Lou Saban, what a great job he’s done,” Trump commented during his first presidential term.
In light of Thursday’s event, which will also include remarks from University President Stuart R. Bell, who stepped down earlier this year after 10 years, additional security measures will be in place and attendees have been advised to arrive at least two hours early.
The university announced that students due to graduate in the spring will have priority seating on the night, with their guests also receiving complimentary tickets. Graduates from the summer and fall semesters, along with their guests, will also be eligible for free tickets. The rest of the student body, faculty, and staff can obtain tickets on a first-come-first-serve basis.
