
WASHINGTON D.C. — Saquon Barkley was the star of the Philadelphia Eagles‘ 2024 campaign, setting the single-season record for rushing yards (including postseason) with 2,504. One of the greatest performances by any player in NFL history, Barkley was instrumental in the Eagles winning their second Super Bowl in the past eight years.
On Monday, President Donald Trump recognized Barkley and the rest of the team at the White House. Trump brought up Barkley’s name specifically during the ceremony, recounting how he told Barkley’s former team (the New York Giants) to retain him by any means necessary.
“By the way, I have to tell you something. I was with the Giants, the head coach and some people. And I said, ‘Do anything you have to, but don’t lose Saquon.’ They lost Saquon,” Trump said as Barkley, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman and several others laughed. “That was not good. I called that one. That was an easy one to call because he played damn well for the Giants, I can tell you that.”
“He made the right decision, because it is a team sport,” Trump said of Barkley joining the Eagles. “And there are great people on this team.”
This comes on the heels of Barkley spending the day with Trump on Sunday, as the two were spotted getting off Marine One and engaging in conversation. The pair then golfed at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey. After receiving widespread criticism, Barkley fired back regarding his outing with the president.
“Lol some people are really upset cause I played golf and flew to the White House with the PRESIDENT,” Barkley wrote on social media. “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 and Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who didn’t attend the White House ceremony (along with several other players), golfed with former President Barack Obama last fall. Barkley said at the time that it was “one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had in my life.”
“The coolest thing I took away from my experience with him was how he treats people, from the caddie, to anybody that came up to him, looked him in the eye,” Barkley said of Obama. “He made sure he had conversations with him, asked him what their name was. When you’re at that level, and you still take the time to do that, it was genuine, too. You could tell it was genuine, too.
“It inspires me — I try to do that already — but you can always try to do that even more.”
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