Claim:
A viral video authentically shows U.S. President Donald Trump playing tennis with tennis champion Serena Williams.
Rating:
True
Trump just posted this footage of him playing tennis with Serena Williams.
— johnny maga (@johnnymaga) April 27, 2026
How does he do it? pic.twitter.com/dG3420aZVh
A video circulating on social media in April 2026 appeared to show Donald Trump casually rallying with tennis legend Serena Williams on a tennis court.
Some online users questioned whether the footage was authentic or AI-generated.
Clarifact found the video to be genuine.
The clip was originally recorded in April 2015 during an event celebrating the opening of a Trump-backed tennis facility at Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia.
What We Found
The footage was widely documented by multiple reputable media organizations at the time of the event.
News outlets, local television stations, sports reporters, and photographers captured Trump and Williams playing a brief volley on the court from several angles.
The official Facebook page for Trump National Golf Club also shared video footage from the event on the same day.
Independent photographers additionally published photographs showing Trump and Williams together during the opening ceremony.
Photos of the facility available online match the court seen in the circulating video.
What happened at the event?
The event took place on April 7, 2015, as part of the opening celebration for a tennis complex associated with Trump National Golf Club.
During the ceremony, Trump introduced Williams and praised her achievements, calling her “one of the greatest of all time.”
Williams also complimented the facility during the event, reportedly describing it as one of the best tennis venues she had visited.
The rally itself appeared casual and ceremonial rather than competitive.
Why the clip resurfaced
The video regained attention in 2026 after Trump reposted the clip to his Truth Social account.
Because the footage resurfaced years later, some users mistakenly assumed it had been recently filmed or digitally altered.
However, archived reporting and original footage from 2015 confirm the moment genuinely occurred.
The Bottom Line
Yes, Donald Trump did briefly play tennis with Serena Williams in 2015 during the opening of a Trump-backed tennis facility in Virginia.
The viral clip is authentic and was documented by several reputable media outlets at the time.
Clarifact therefore rates the claim as True.
Sources:
- – YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNACT3q6_5w. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
- —. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBk8Rigopug. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
- —. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2V_TulwtSjE. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
- 2.7K Views · 58 Reactions | Mr. Trump vs Serena Williams at the Trump Tennis Center- Grand Opening Event! #donaldtrump #serenawilliams #tennis | By Trump National Golf Club Washington D.C. | Facebook. www.facebook.com, https://www.facebook.com/TrumpGolfWashingtonDC/videos/mr-trump-vs-serena-williams-at-the-trump-tennis-center-grand-opening-event-donal/950490128328578/. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
- David Marchese. “Serena Williams’s Next Challenge? The Rest of Her Life.” The New York Times, 15 June 2024, https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/15/magazine/serena-williams-interview.html.
- “Donald Trump Opens New Tennis Center in Va.” Wusa9.Com, 7 Apr. 2015, https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/virginia/donald-trump-opens-new-tennis-center-in-va/65-203331554.
- Raja, Ammad. “Donald Trump Opens State of the Art Tennis Facility in Sterling.” Tennis World USA, 8 Apr. 2015, https://www.tennisworldusa.org/tennis/news/American_Tennis/23269/donald-trump-opens-state-of-the-art-tennis-facility-in-sterling/.
- “Serena Williams Dragged into Trump Trial as Ex-Aide Reveals They ‘Frequently Spoke.'” The Independent, 9 May 2024, https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-trial-serena-williams-testimony-b2542564.html.
- “Serena Williams Lays Groundwork for the next Generation of Tennis.” WTOP News, 8 Apr. 2015, https://wtop.com/tennis/2015/04/serena-williams-lays-groundwork-for-the-next-generation-of-tennis/.
- “Serena Williams Won’t Vote, for Trump or Anyone Else.” AP News, 1 June 2016, https://apnews.com/general-news-9081a5ec0b424c6095471a921257ea12.
- Tennis.com. “One Year Ago: Serena & Trump.” Tennis.Com, https://www.tennis.com/news/articles/one-year-ago-serena-trump. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
- Trump National Washington DC | State-of-the-Art Indoor Tennis Facility. https://www.trumpnationaldc.com/tennis/facilities. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
- Trump Tennis Center Grand Opening 2015 – Images | Molly Riley. https://mollyriley.photoshelter.com/gallery/Trump-Tennis-Center-Grand-Opening-2015/G0000Z5hMfItjUFA/C0000z13bMdRrjGE. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
- Wright • •, Kristin. “Donald Trump Opens New Tennis Center in Sterling.” NBC4 Washington, 7 Apr. 2015, https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/donald-trump-serena-williams-opens-new-tennis-center-in-sterling/1984667/.
