Saquon Barkley is facing serious backlash following a game of golf between him and President Donald Trump. The NFL star played with the President a day before his team was to visit the White House officially. Barkley has responded to the criticism, but it has not gone down well with naysayers. Many have compared him to his teammate, Jalen Hurts, who declined the invitation to visit the White House.
Saquon Barkley Responds To Backlash Against Golf Game With Donald Trump
Saquon Barkley and President Donald Trump played golf on Sunday in New Jersey. Eyewitnesses spotted him getting off Marine One at Morristown Municipal Airport before he and the President returned to Washington, D.C. However, what the duo likely considered an innocent game quickly developed into a bad situation. Barkley’s action was greeted with great backlash, as many considered him a traitor for playing with Trump.
Following the heavy backlash, the Philadelphia Eagles running back responded on social media on Monday to explain why. Saquon Barkley claimed that he and Donald Trump had a complimentary game just as he did with former President Barack Obama.
“Some people are really upset cause I played golfed [sic] and flew to the White House with the PRESIDENT,” Barkley wrote on his social media account. “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.”
The White House Shares Saquon Barkley’s Post
The White House’s official X account shared a screenshot of the NFL star’s response to the backlash shortly after the post went up. The account also attached a picture of Saquon Barkley and Donald Trump inside the Oval Office. Meanwhile, the President told reporters on Sunday, April 27, that the running back was a “nice guy,” per CBS News.
He added that he “wanted to race him” but decided not to. Instead, they settled on a game of golf. Saquon Barkley and President Donald Trump also took a few pictures with a child in the White House Rose Garden.
Fans Compare Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts
Saquon Barkley and Donald Trump met a day before the Eagles visited the White House on April 28. The White House invited the team after their victory at the 2025 Super Bowl. Although there were rumors that the Philadelphia Eagles turned down the invite, the press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, dispelled them. The Eagles had previously canceled a visit after their first Super Bowl victory in 2018. Meanwhile, the chairman and CEO, Jeffrey Lurie, said the visit was optional for players.
Jalen Hurts made news when he revealed he wouldn’t join those on the visit. This led many to compare him to Saquon Barkley, as they felt he acted right between the pair. The White House claimed the Super Bowl LIX MVP wouldn’t attend due to “scheduling conflicts.” However, fans opined that Hurt stepped back for a different reason. As seen in a TikTok video, the NFL fan awkwardly skirted around his response after a reporter asked him if he would attend the official visit.
In a screenshot Onsite obtained, a fan said, “…Today I encourage you to be a Jalen Hurts, not a Saquon Barkley!” Meanwhile, other fans pointed out that Saquon Barkley and Donald Trump’s game follows a recognizable pattern. They accused the athlete of condoning racism by getting engaged to Anna Congdon, who has faced backlash over her old racist tweets. Someone wrote, “You been showed your true colors when you married who you married lmao.” Another wrote, “Doesn’t your wife say the N word and she not black?”
Fans are not happy about Saquon Barkley and President Donald Trump’s game. However, given Barkley’s response to the backlash, the running back doesn’t appear too disturbed.
#Clique, share your thoughts about this in the comments.
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









