US President Donald Trump has opted out of attending the Olympic ice hockey final, which is scheduled to take place between the US and Canada on Sunday. According to the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, his withdrawal is attributed to the pressures surrounding recent tariff decisions. Trump had imposed broad tariffs based on national emergency legislation, and the US Supreme Court overturned those tariffs just days before the event.

The decision not to appear at such a high-profile sporting event is significant given Trump's previous engagement with sports and public events. Instead of Trump, FBI Director Kash Patel is set to be in the attendance, which could indicate a shift in the narrative surrounding Trump's presidency and how his administration deals with issues that can pull focus from national sporting pride. This absence might be interpreted as a consequence of the ongoing political turmoil regarding trade policies.

In the wake of the Supreme Court's ruling, Trump's administration faces increased scrutiny regarding trade practices and the overall impact of his policies. The leak from the US consulate in Milan, which fueled this reporting, raises further questions about communication within the administration and its effectiveness in handling crises that spill over into the public domain, particularly in light of the approaching event-including the implications of his absence on public perception.