Former New England Patriots star Rob Gronkowski has denied being affiliated with Erika Kirk’s Turning Point USA (TPUSA) after videos showed him greeting voters near the conservative group’s tent in New Hampshire on Election Day.
The former NFL tight end addressed the speculation in an Instagram Story on Thursday, saying he and his partner, Camille Kostek, had stopped to meet fans and take pictures. He also rejected claims that they were part of the organisation’s political activities, describing the reports as “upsetting” and “eye-opening”.
“In regard to the images and videos circulating, [Gronkowski and Kostek] are not endorsed by or affiliated with Turning Point USA,” he said.
The statement came after footage of Gronkowski signing jerseys and meeting people near a Turning Point Action tent circulated on social media. His appearance led to questions about whether he was supporting the group’s Election Day campaign.
Rob Gronkowski explains his appearance near Turning Point Action tent
Gronkowski said he and Kostek had visited Goffstown High School before crossing the street, where they noticed fans calling out their names.
He explained that they stopped to greet the crowd, take pictures and sign items before moving on to their next destination.
“We simply took some pictures, and [Gronkowski] signed some things for them before leaving,” he said.
He also stressed that the people they met had different political views.
“We took photos with people across the political spectrum throughout that morning.”
In another part of his statement, Gronkowski expressed frustration over the attention surrounding the videos. He said it was “disappointing to see an innocent moment stripped of context and turned into clickbait.”
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Turning Point USA responds to Rob Gronkowski’s appearance
Turning Point USA also clarified that Gronkowski was not part of its organised Election Day activities. The organisation told CBS Boston that the former Patriots player had simply walked past its tent.
According to WMUR-TV, several other well-known athletes were also spotted near polling locations in New Hampshire on Tuesday. They included former Patriots player Danny Amendola, boxers Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather, and former Boston Red Sox player Kevin Youkilis.
WMUR-TV reporter KC Downey reported that the appearances were part of a voter outreach effort organised by Turning Point Action.
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Rob Gronkowski’s past interaction with Donald Trump
Gronkowski has previously interacted with Donald Trump but has not publicly campaigned for him during the 2026 election cycle.
During the Patriots’ 2017 Super Bowl visit to the White House, Gronkowski met Trump in the Oval Office and shared a picture of them fist-bumping on Instagram.
He captioned the post: “It was an honor to be in the Oval Office [fist-pumping] POTUS [Donald Trump] Making America Great Again.”
He also made a surprise appearance during a White House press briefing led by then-press secretary Sean Spicer during the same visit.
Gronkowski is set to receive another honour this weekend when the New England Patriots celebrate his induction into the team’s Hall of Fame.