Eagles’ Saquon Barkley Reacts to Criticism Over Donald Trump Outing

Philadelphia Eagles’ player Saquon Barkley addressed criticism of his spending time with President Donald Trump ahead of the team’s Super Bowl celebration at the White House.

Saquon Barkley is intercepting any backlash.

The Philadelphia Eagles’ player addressed criticism he received over his recent outing with President Donald Trump—which saw Saquon play golf with Trump on April 27 and then fly back to Washington, D.C., with the 78-year-old—before his team visits the White House as the 2025 Super Bowl champions.

“Lol some people are really upset cause I played golfed and flew to the White House with the PRESIDENT,” Barkley tweeted on April 28. “Maybe I just respect the office, not a hard concept to understand.”

The 28-year-old further defended himself noting he has a similar relationship with former President Barack Obama.

“Just golfed with Obama not too long ago…and look forward to finishing my round with Trump,” Barkley said, adding alongside a laughing emoji, “Now ya get out my mentions with all this politics and have amazing day.”

Barkley’s message comes only hours before he and the Eagles are due to visit the White House and Trump in celebration of their Super Bowl LIX victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.

And while it seems like the running back is sure to attend, it’s unclear which of Barkley’s fellow Eagles may be in attendance. After all, quarterback Jalen Hurts awkwardly skirted the issue only days earlier.

“Are you planning on visiting the White House next week,” the 26-year-old was asked by a reporter from Time during the magazine’s Time100 gala in New York City on April 25. In response, Hurts looked awkwardly to either side of him, letting the silence linger after replying, “Um.”

While there has been a lot of speculation over the Eagles’ visit to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue—after all, the team did not attend in 2018, leaving Trump to cancel the event—press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the Philadelphia team accepted this year’s invitation.

“I know there was a lot of fake news about an invitation that wasn’t sent or was sent, we want to correct the record, we sent an invitation,” she said during a March 11 press briefing. “They enthusiastically accepted, and you will see them here on April 28.”

Will #JalenHurts visit the White House next week? | time100 gala presented by @Booking.com

Similarly, Coach Nick Sirianni expressed his own excitement over the prospective visit.

“What an honor,” the head coach told reporters April 1. “What an honor to be able to go to the White House. Teams that have been able to win championships have been doing that for a long time, and I’m really honored to go and really excited to go.”

For a look back at which celebrities attended the 2025 Super Bowl, read on. 

Ashley Avignone, Alana Haim, Taylor Swift, Este Haim & Danielle Haim

Cynthia Erivo

Brenda Song & Macaulay Culkin

Leonardo DiCaprio

Bradley Cooper & Daughter Lea

Seal

Teyana Taylor & Karrueche Tran

Russell Wilson & Ciara

Lady Gaga

Dylan Sprouse & Barbara Palvin Sprouse

Kevin Hart

Anne Hathaway

Serena Williams

SZA

Paul Rudd

Brittany Mahomes & Patrick Mahomes

Jordon Hudson & Nikki Glaser

Donald Trump & Ivanka Trump

Taylor Swift & Ice Spice

Bradley Cooper

Samuel L. Jackson

Ledisi

Master P

Jon Batiste

Kendrick Lamar

Jon Hamm

Harry Connick Jr.

Jay-Z, Blue Ivy & Rumi

Pete Davidson

Olivia Culpo