Trump Hosts Super Bowl Champion Eagles at White House, Though Jalen Hurts and Others Skip Ceremony
WASHINGTON (AP) — On Monday, President Donald Trump honored the 2025 Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles during a White House ceremony, though several team members, including quarterback Jalen Hurts, were notably absent.
A White House official, speaking anonymously, said Hurts and other missing players cited scheduling conflicts as the reason for not attending.
Despite the absence, Trump praised Hurts as a “terrific guy and terrific player,” applauding his consistent excellence throughout the Eagles’ 14-3 regular season and playoff success.
“The Eagles have become an amazing team and group of individuals,” Trump said.
This marked a different tone from 2018, when Trump invited the Eagles after their first Super Bowl win but canceled the event when many players declined to attend. Instead, he held a brief “Celebration of America” at the White House.
When asked at a Time magazine gala last week if he would attend the ceremony, Hurts gave no clear response—simply pausing awkwardly and walking away.
In contrast, Eagles running back Saquon Barkley accepted Trump’s invitation and spent the weekend with him at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey. Barkley then flew to Washington aboard Air Force One, followed by Marine One to the White House.
“He really enjoyed it,” Trump said of Barkley’s trip, praising the young star as “a phenomenal athlete” who had an extraordinary season. Barkley, who ran for 2,005 yards—eighth-most in NFL history—was awarded Offensive Player of the Year in his debut season with the Eagles.
Facing social media criticism for joining Trump, Barkley responded on X (formerly Twitter):
“Maybe I just respect the office—not a hard concept to understand,”
noting that he has also golfed with former President Barack Obama.
Trump attended the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory in New Orleans over the Kansas City Chiefs, a game in which he had originally predicted the Chiefs would win. He had also praised Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes leading up to the game.
After the match, Trump took a jab at pop star Taylor Swift—who is dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce—mocking her after she was booed by fans during a Jumbotron appearance. Swift publicly supported Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump’s opponent in the 2024 election.
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