President Biden has chosen not to participate in an interview with CBS News ahead of the upcoming Super Bowl, according to a statement from the network.
The White House has declined the network’s request for an interview with the president before the highly anticipated game, which is scheduled to air at 6:30 p.m. EST. The Super Bowl, known for its massive viewership, is anticipated to attract tens of millions of viewers globally.
This decision marks the second consecutive year that President Biden has opted not to engage in an interview with the network broadcasting the Super Bowl, breaking a tradition that had become somewhat regular in recent years.
In the previous year, Biden declined an interview with Fox News, maintaining a pattern of granting interviews to the network airing the game in his first two years in office, with NBC and CBS.
It’s worth noting that other presidents have also refrained from participating in pre-Super Bowl interviews in the past. For instance, former President Trump chose not to sit down with NBC News before the 2018 game, as highlighted by Variety.
The upcoming Super Bowl is expected to draw a massive viewership for CBS, fueled by recent buzz surrounding pop star Taylor Swift, who is currently in a relationship with Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce.
The decision not to conduct a pre-Super Bowl interview with President Biden adds an intriguing element to the lead-up of this widely-watched sporting event.