Charles Barkley dismisses notion teams would skip White House visit over Trump

Rumors of the Philadelphia Eagles perchance skipping a White House sojourn to observe their Super Bowl LIX triumph took societal media by tempest astatine the extremity of February.

The speech swirled adjacent arsenic the Eagles had yet to person an authoritative invite. President Donald Trump did yet invitation the squad to Washington, D.C., but the speech of them not going ignited a instrumentality from Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley.

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College hoops expert Charles Barkley connected aerial earlier the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Final Four title game. (Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

"The Round Mound of Rebound" said connected "The Steam Room" that the anticipation of teams skipping the White House sojourn due to the fact that of Trump was "stupid."

"I don’t attraction who the president is," Barkley said, via Awful Announcing. "He’s the president of the United States. It’s bothered maine the past 10 years, they’re like, ‘Well, I’m not going due to the fact that this definite idiosyncratic is president.’ Dude, it’s the president of the United States.

TRUMP CLAIMS EAGLES WILL VISIT WHITE HOUSE FOR SUPER BOWL CELEBRATION AFTER SKIPPING 2018 VISIT

Philadelphia Eagles manager Nick Sirianni holds up the Lombardi trophy arsenic helium speaks during the team's NFL shot Super Bowl LIX parade and solemnisation connected Friday, Feb. 14, 2025 successful Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

"Even though I disagree with President Trump connected immoderate things, if I met him, I would inactive springiness him the respect and dignity helium deserves. We tin disagree, but it bothers maine erstwhile these teams don’t privation to spell to the White House. I’m conscionable disappointed … we got truthful divided. Where did we get to arsenic a state erstwhile we’re like, ‘We’re not going to the White House, we don’t similar who’s successful there.’ That’s conscionable stupid."

Tensions betwixt the president and athletes appeared to simmer since helium started his 2nd term.

The Eagles skipped the White House sojourn during his presidency implicit tensions astir players kneeling during the national anthem.

President Donald Trump walks to the Residence aft arriving astatine the White House connected Feb. 22, 2025 successful Washington, D.C. (Tierney L. Cross/Getty Images)

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However, during the 2024 statesmanlike predetermination campaign, much athletes showed enactment for Trump against then-Vice President Kamala Harris.

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