President Donald Trump appeared at the U.S. Open this weekend alongside Rolex CEO Jean-Frederic Dufour, weeks after tariffing the watchmaker’s home country.
Trump watched the men’s singles final in New York on Sunday in a midcourt box operated by Rolex, which also sponsors the tournament. The president was joined by family members and high-profile White House officials including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, according to NBC News.
Trump was invited by Rolex, according to a report from The Associated Press on Saturday citing a person with knowledge of the details. Rolex and the White House did not respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
Rolex’s alleged invitation came within weeks of Trump placing a 39% tariff rate on Switzerland, where Rolex is based. That’s higher than other countries in the region face following deals between the U.S. and the European Union and United Kingdom.
Bernstein analyst Luca Solca wrote to clients last month that “the last minute deal that many had hoped for didn’t materialize.”
