Saquon Barkley Speaks Out After Trump Outing: ‘maybe I Just Respect The Office’

The Philadelphia Eagles accepted an invitation to nan White House successful March to observe their latest Super Bowl win. But up of nan visit, Saquon Barkley was spotted golfing pinch President Donald Trump, sparking online backlash.

The moving backmost responded to nan disapproval connected X, telling users that his outing was astir respect, not politics.

Barkley and Trump meet astatine Bedminster play course

Barkley and Trump were seen golfing connected Sunday, April 27, astatine Trump’s Bedminster, N.J., course. Later that day, they traveled together to Washington successful mentation for nan Eagles’ White House visit.

A short clip captured Trump praising Barkley to reporters, saying, “What a bully feline he is.”

Photos and videos from nan outing quickly dispersed online. Many fans criticized Barkley for spending clip pinch nan president.

Barkley addressed nan contention connected a station connected X connected Monday, April 28. He wrote, “Maybe I conscionable respect nan office, not a difficult conception to understand. Just golfed pinch Obama not excessively agelong ago… and look guardant to finishing my information pinch Trump! Now ya get retired my mentions pinch each this authorities and person an astonishing day.”

lol immoderate group are really upset origin I played golfed and flew to nan White House pinch nan PRESIDENT. Maybe I conscionable respect nan office, not a difficult conception to understand. Just golfed pinch Obama not excessively agelong ago…and look guardant to finishing my information pinch Trump ! Now ya get retired my…

He emphasized that he viewed nan gathering done an apolitical lens, pointing to a erstwhile play outing pinch erstwhile President Barack Obama.

White House sojourn marks displacement from 2018 controversy

The Eagles’ White House sojourn marks a alteration from 2018, erstwhile nan team’s Super Bowl ceremony was canceled by Trump. At nan time, tensions complete nationalist anthem protests and debased subordinate turnout led to nan decision.

But this clip around, it seems some sides are fresh to move forward.

Philadelphia Eagles president and CEO Jeffrey Lurie commented earlier this month, saying, “This is simply a time-honored contented being invited by nan White House.” He added, “There were typical circumstances backmost past that were very different — and truthful this was benignant of an evident choice, and we look guardant to it.”

Not each players attending

Despite nan wide acceptance of nan invitation, not each subordinate plans to be nan White House ceremony.

Quarterback Jalen Hurts addressed nan taxable astatine nan 2025 TIME 100 Gala successful New York City. When asked if he would sojourn nan White House, Hurts replied pinch an uncertain “Um…” earlier nan newsman ended nan conversation.

Monday afternoon, NBC News White House analogous Yamiche Alcindor posted connected X that a White House charismatic confirmed Hurts and respective different players would not be owed to “scheduling conflicts.”