Saquon Barkley Defends Golf Outing with Trump Ahead of Eagles' White House Visit

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley faced criticism after playing golf and traveling with President Donald Trump ahead of the Eagles' visit to the White House to celebrate their Super Bowl victory. Barkley defended his actions on social media, stating that his participation was out of respect for the office of the presidency rather than political alignment, and noted he had recently golfed with former President Barack Obama as well. He urged critics to separate politics from respect for the office and dismissed the backlash as unnecessary. Some teammates, including quarterback Jalen Hurts, have remained noncommittal about attending the White House ceremony, highlighting differing views within the team. Public and commentator responses to Barkley's actions were mixed, with some arguing that respecting the office doesn't justify associating with Trump, while others viewed the meeting as a nonpartisan tradition. Barkley remained firm in his stance, asking people to move past the political controversy.