Trump Lays Blame on Obama and Biden for Crimea Snub, Uses Sunday to Take Aim at Former Presidents
Trump jests about his desire to compete against Saquon Barkley in a race, but ultimately decides to forgo the event.
President Donald Trump spent his Sunday afternoon with Philadelphia Eagles star Saquon Barkley, remarking that they'd had a great time together. As they prepared to visit the White House, Trump took a few jabs at former Presidents Obama and Biden, accusing them of conceding Crimea over a decade ago.
The outspoken president shared his thoughts with reporters while boarding Air Force One along with Barkley. The two were seen stepping off Marine One before the president addressed the press waiting on the tarmac.
"What a nice guy he is. I wished I could race him, but I decided to hold off," the president said, referring to Barkley.
Barkley didn't speak to the media, but he was spotted earlier at Trump's Bedminster golf course, hanging out with the president and others.
The running back's appearance with Trump came just a few days after teammate Jalen Hurts left many scratching their heads during an interview when he declined to address whether he would join the team's visit to the White House to celebrate their Super Bowl championship.
At the 2025 TIME100 gala in New York City, Hurts was asked about his plans for the official visit scheduled for Monday.
"Um," Hurts replied hesitantly before looking around. He didn't answer the question, and the interviewer thanked him for his time.
A White House representative confirmed to our website Digital in early March that an invitation from the president had been sent, and the team had enthusiastically accepted. This came after the team's decision to skip the White House visit in 2018, following their first Super Bowl victory, due to political disagreements and player dissent over Trump's criticisms of national anthem protests[1][2].
However, this month, Eagles team owner Jeffrey Lurie referred to the upcoming visit as a "time-honored tradition" they were looking forward to[2].
our website's Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.
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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for our website Digital.
[1] Philadelphia Eagles neglect White House celebration under Trump in 2018, refused invite over political differences: media reports
[2] Eagles to visit White House in 2025: Report
[3] Controversy surrounds Philadelphia Eagles' visit to the White House in 2025 for Super Bowl LIX celebration: Media reports
- President Donald Trump, while spending an afternoon with Philadelphia Eagles star Saquon Barkley, took a few jabs at former Presidents Obama and Biden, accusing them of conceding Crimea in the past.
- Jalen Hurts, another Eagles player, was recently spotted declining to address whether he would join the team's visit to the White House in 2025, fuelling speculation about political disagreements among the team members.
- In contrast, team owner Jeffrey Lurie referred to the upcoming White House visit as a "time-honored tradition" they were looking forward to.
- The 2025 TIME100 gala in New York City will feature Hurts, as he is scheduled to attend the official White House visit along with the rest of the Super Bowl championship-winning team.
- The NFL season of American football in 2025 promises to be filled with intrigue, as the buzzy visit to the White House by the Philadelphia Eagles, followed by this year's jabs between Trump and former Presidents, might indicate a continued blend of sports and politics.
