Eagles RB Saquon Barkley Addresses Criticism for Golfing With President Trump - suong

What do you get when you mix an ultra-popular sports figure with an ultra-controversial political figure? Controversy.

Philadelphia Eagles running back and Super Bowl champion Saquon Barkley found that out in the clearest way possible after golfing with President Donald Trump at Trump National Golf Club on April 27 in Bedminster, N.J.

Barkley addressed the blowback on his official X account on April 28.

“lol some people are really upset cause I played golfed and flew to the White House with the PRESIDENT,” Barkley wrote. “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”

Barkley is coming off one of the greatest seasons for a running back in NFL history in his first season with the Eagles.  In 2024, he became just the ninth player to rush for over 2,000 yards in a single season as well as being named NFL Offensive Player of the Year and a world champion.

The Eagles were scheduled to visit the White House as a team on April 28.

It wasn’t the only time Trump and the Eagles were in the news together over the weekend. Super Bowl MVP quarterback Jalen Hurts dodged a question of whether he would be in attendance at the White House head of the Time 100 Gala.

According to PEOPLE Magazine’s Anna Lazarus Capalan, Barkley met with other members of the Trump family earlier in the month.

From PEOPLE: “Earlier this month, Barkley attended a tech conference, where he wrote on X that he ‘had an amazing time.’ In his post, the future Hall of Famer shared pictures of himself with the president’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, and her husband Jared Kushner.”

Trump Has Long History With Professional Football

President Trump has a long, complicated history with professional football — and most of that has been in direct opposition to the NFL.

Twice, Trump tried to buy NFL teams unsuccessfully with the Indianapolis (then Baltimore) Colts and the Dallas Cowboys. He owned a team with the USFL’s New Jersey Generals in the mid-1980s — the only time the NFL has truly felt a challenge from a rival league — and famously led a lawsuit against the NFL in an attempt to force a merger between the 2 leagues.

More recently, Trump called for a boycott of the NFL during his first term in office over players kneeling during the national anthem.

Swift Blowback Over Barkley Meeting With Trump

Barkley’s meeting with the President drew swift blowback online.

“I just went into my gay son’s room and burned his #26 jersey,” X user @BarryOnHere wrote on his official X account. “I will no longer allow him to watch your games. I hope the round of golf was worth it buddy.”

“You are hanging out with a guy who called Black NFL players who kneeled against racism ‘son of bitches’ who should be fired,” X user @PatriotTakes wrote on its official account. “What is there to respect?”

“You are indeed free to be with whoever you choose and he is the PRESIDENT,” X user Dr. Ann Lopez wrote on her official account. “You should know as well that everything is political & your presence is political. Hope you discuss with him removal of artifacts from the African American museum, apology to the New York 5, calling NFL players names, challenging Obama’s birth certificate, removal of EPA protections that will impact Black communities and more.”