Philadelphia Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley found himself in the media spotlight for reasons off the field this weekend, after he was seen golfing with President Donald Trump at Trump’s Bedminster Golf Club in New Jersey. True to form, the outrage machine roared to life almost instantly—but Barkley had no patience for the pearl-clutching critics.
Just hours before joining his teammates to celebrate their commanding Super Bowl LIX victory (40-22) over the Kansas City Chiefs, Barkley addressed the noise directly on X (formerly Twitter). In a sharp but good-natured post, he reminded everyone that respecting the office of the presidency shouldn’t be a political firestorm.
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
“lol some people are really upset cause I played golf and flew to the White House with the PRESIDENT. Maybe I just respect the office, not a hard concept to understand,” Barkley wrote. He further pointed out that he had also golfed with former President Obama not long ago, and looked forward to finishing a round with Trump. “Now ya get out my mentions with all this politics and have amazing day,” he quipped.
The scene at Bedminster was casual and upbeat, with Trump’s team sharing footage of Barkley and the former president exiting Marine One at the Morristown, New Jersey airport. Trump, ever the showman, couldn’t resist a few jokes, telling reporters he had thought about challenging Barkley to a race but wisely backed off. “What a nice guy he is,” Trump added.
.@POTUS on Eagles running back @saquon Barkley: “What a nice guy he is. I wanted to race him but I decided not to do it.”pic.twitter.com/DiNFvs4SHS
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 27, 2025
The light-hearted jabs continued into Monday’s ceremony at the White House, where Trump honored the Eagles’ championship win. During his remarks, Trump joked, “You got the ball to your superstar running back, who I met yesterday, and I want to tell you he is — he’s a handsome guy, but I wouldn’t wanna tackle him!”
The president praised Barkley as both a remarkable athlete and a “great young guy,” revealing that he had personally offered Barkley a ride aboard Air Force One, which the running back eagerly accepted.
Notably, a few team members, including quarterback Jalen Hurts, cited “scheduling conflicts” and did not attend the White House event. But Barkley’s presence—and his easy dismissal of critics—highlighted a refreshing reminder that not every interaction needs to be turned into a political battlefield.