Philadelphia Eagles star Saquon Barkley has defended his resolution to play golf with President Donald Trump amid appreciable backlash throughout social media.
Barkley, contemporary off a profession 12 months the place he received his first Tremendous Bowl title in addition to touchdown Offensive Participant of the 12 months honors, performed a spherical with the President at Trump Nationwide Golf Membership in Bedminster, New Jersey on Sunday.
A day afterward Monday, Trump hosted the Eagles on the White Home to have a good time the triumph – the place lower than half the workforce confirmed up, with notable absentees together with star quarterback Jalen Hurts and broad receivers AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith.
Following the workforce’s first Tremendous Bowl victory in 2018, the Eagles declined the invitation to Washington over Trump’s opposition to gamers kneeling through the Nationwide Anthem – a protest towards police brutality in the direction of minorities.
Barkley posted on X (previously Twitter) to hit again at critics, writing: “Lol some persons are actually upset trigger I performed golfed and flew to the White Home with the PRESIDENT.
“Perhaps I simply respect the workplace, not a tough idea to grasp.”
The working again, who led the league in speeding yards and just lately signed a two-year, $41.2 million contract extension with Philadelphia, requested the general public to ‘get out my mentions with all this politics’ – definitely an odd request after opening this will of worms himself.
Barkley took a experience with Trump on Air Pressure One and the President was stuffed with reward for the 28-year-old: “He cherished it. He’s an incredible younger man and an unbelievable soccer participant. Saquon had a season for the ages, working behind essentially the most highly effective offensive line within the NFL.”
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni advised reporters it was an “honor” to have the ability to go to the White Home and expressed his pleasure on the alternative.
lol some persons are actually upset trigger I performed golfed and flew to the White Home with the PRESIDENT. Perhaps I simply respect the workplace, not a tough idea to grasp. Simply golfed with Obama not too way back…and sit up for ending my spherical with Trump ! Now ya get out my…
— Saquon Barkley (@saquon) April 28, 2025
Why didn’t Jalen Hurts attend the White Home?
Final week when Hurts was requested whether or not he’d attend, he replied “umm” earlier than trying round and staring into the digital camera lens earlier than strolling away.
Regardless of the quarterback’s disapproval of the presidency, Trump referred to the Tremendous Bowl MVP as a “terrific man and terrific participant.”
Hurts and his teammates who skipped the go to cited ‘scheduling conflicts’ as causes for his or her absences, in accordance with a White Home official.
