Saquon Barkley claps back after facing heat for RB's golf session with Donald Trump
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley fired back at critics who criticized him for playing golf with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Barkley, the AP Offensive Player of the Year winner, fueled drama after spending Sunday at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey. He talked to Trump before they boarded Marine ONE together. This happened just a day before Philadelphia's scheduled White House trip to commemorate its 2025 Super Bowl win.
Barkley addressed the backlash on Monday on X. Photos circulated showing him with Trump at the golf course, with "Make America Great Again" hats visible on a nearby table.
"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," Barkley tweeted.
This isn't Barkley's first golf outing with a president. In October, he played with former U.S. President Barack Obama at Merion Golf Club in Pennsylvania, joined by Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie. Jalen Hurts also attended but didn't play due to contract restrictions.
Saquon Barkley questions fan logic, Jalen Hurts is silent
Saquon Barkley's candid response is contrasted with teammate Jalen Hurts' reply to media inquiries about the White House visit. During an inquiry at the 2025 TIME 100 gala on Friday as to whether he would be attending the celebration, the 2025 Super Bowl MVP dodged a clear-cut response. He responded with "Um" before the questioner proceeded.
U.S. President Donald Trump complimented Barkley when they were together.
"What a nice guy." Trump said to reporters on Sunday. "I wanted to race him, but I decided not to do it."
The White House ceremony on Monday is a stark departure from 2018, when the Philadelphia Eagles refused to attend during Trump's first term after capturing their first Super Bowl. That move led Trump to rescind the invitation altogether, falsely claiming team members knelt during the national anthem.
Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie addressed the team's acceptance this time around, calling the White House visit a "time-honored tradition." He emphasized that it remains "optional" for players. "To be celebrated at the White House is a good thing," Lurie told reporters, noting that "special circumstances" in 2018 created a "very different" situation.
The team's official ceremony, scheduled for 4 p.m. ET at the White House's South Lawn, comes after their February victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.