Trump and Eagles player Saquon Barkley socialize; Jalen Hurts sidesteps query regarding potential White House visit.
In an unprecedented twist, Philadelphia Eagles' star running back Saquon Barkley decided to hang out with the infamous U.S. president, Donald J Trump, a day prior to the team's White House visit. Trump, fresh off his Super Bowl LIX win against the Kansas City Chiefs, is scheduled to host the Eagles at the White House on Monday.
On Sunday, Barkley and Trump were spotted together, stepping off Marine One in New Jersey. The pair enjoyed a friendly chat as they disembarked. Trump made a statement for the media, praising Barkley, saying, "He's a nice guy. I wanted to race him, but I decided against it." Later on, the duo boarded Air Force One.
Social media was flooded with pictures showing Barkley and Trump at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, NJ, surrounded by "Make America Great Again" hats. On Monday, Barkley took to his social media to address the criticism, stating, "Some people are really ticked that I played golf with the POTUS. Maybe I just respect the office, not that hard to grasp. I played golf with Obama recently as well, looking forward to finishing my round with Trump!"
Barkley's unexpected meeting with Trump comes after Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts declined to comment on whether he would celebrate their Super Bowl victory at the White House. Social media buzzed with questions about the Eagles' decision to celebrate their victory with Trump, especially since they previously decided against it in 2018 when Trump was in office.
The decision sparked a series of criticisms from Trump, who falsely accused the Eagles of disrespecting the National Anthem that year. However, this time around, the team officially accepted the White House invitation, putting an end to speculations about a possible boycott[1][2][3].
Eagles owner, Jeffrey Lurie, has described the visit as a "time-honored tradition" but emphasized that it was optional for players. He explained that the team looked forward to the visit since it's a tradition they missed out on during their first Vince Lombardi trophy win in 2018[1][3]. Lurie added that the team's culture is such that these events are optional, with players free to choose whether they wish to attend and celebrate with the president.
- During an impromptu outing, Saquon Barkley, the Philadelphia Eagles' star running back, was seen spending time with U.S. President Donald J Trump, a day before the team's scheduled White House visit.
- Trump and Barkley had a casual conversation as they departed Marine One in New Jersey, prior to taking a ride on Air Force One.
- Amid the flurry of photographs at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, Barkley was spotted wearing "Make America Great Again" hats.
- Barkley addressed the backlash he received for playing golf with Trump on his social media, stating that he respects the office of the President, not just Trump himself.
- Jalen Hurts, Eagles' quarterback, declined to comment on whether he would celebrate their Super Bowl victory at the White House, contrary to Barkley's decision.
- The team's decision to celebrate their Super Bowl victory at the White House, as opposed to boycotting the tradition in 2018, stirred debates in the realm of politics, general news, sports, and entertainment.
- Jeffrey Lurie, Eagles owner, stated that the White House visit was a time-honored tradition but assured that it was optional for players, who were free to choose whether they wished to attend and celebrate with the president. [1][2][3]
