On Sunday, April 27, 2025, Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley spent the day golfing with President Donald Trump at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey.
Following their game, Barkley accompanied Trump on Air Force One to Washington, D.C., and then on Marine One to the White House for the Eagles’ Super Bowl celebration.
President Trump Tells Everyone That Saquon is a ‘Handsome Guy That He Wouldn’t Want to Tackle’
On Monday, April 28, 2025, the Philadelphia Eagles visited the White House to celebrate their Super Bowl LIX victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. President Trump hosted the team on the South Lawn, praising their resilience and dubbing them “modern-day warriors” for overcoming early-season challenges.
Trump also made his thoughts known on meeting and playing golf with Saquon, saying: “He’s a handsome guy. I would not want to tackle him. He’s great, I got to know him a little bit. I offered him a ride on Air Force One because that was coming down, and usually they say, ‘No, no, I don’t think so.’ He said, ‘I’ll take a chair.’ And he loved it. We loved being together. He is a great young guy & an incredible football player.”
VIDEO: President Donald Trump introduces Saquon Barkley at the White House & talks about meeting him.
“He’s a handsome guy”
“I would not want to tackle him”
“I offered him a ride. And he loved it. He is a great young guy & an incredible football player” pic.twitter.com/iwIUDpY7ZJ
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) April 28, 2025
The outing drew criticism on social media, with some questioning Barkley’s decision to spend time with Trump.
Barkley responded on X (formerly Twitter), stating: “lol some people are really upset cause I played golfed and flew to the White House with the PRESIDENT. Maybe I just respect the office, not a hard concept to understand. Just golfed with Obama not too long ago…and look forward to finishing my round with Trump! Now ya get out my mentions with all this politics and have amazing day”
lol some people are really upset cause I played golfed and flew to the White House with the PRESIDENT. Maybe I just respect the office, not a hard concept to understand. Just golfed with Obama not too long ago…and look forward to finishing my round with Trump ! Now ya get out my…
— Saquon Barkley (@saquon) April 28, 2025
Barkley emphasized that his actions were about respecting the office of the presidency, not political alignment. He also played golf with former President Barack Obama.
Notably absent from the celebration were several players, including quarterback Jalen Hurts, wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, and retiring defensive end Brandon Graham. Hurts cited scheduling conflicts for his absence.
During the ceremony, head coach Nick Sirianni and offensive tackle Lane Johnson presented Trump with a personalized No. 47 jersey and an Eagles helmet. Trump also endorsed the Eagles’ controversial “Tush Push” play, expressing hope that the NFL would not ban it.
This visit marked a departure from 2018, when the Eagles’ invitation to the White House was rescinded after several players reportedly planned to skip the event due to political disagreements with the Trump administration.