Trump jokes he 'wanted to race' Saquon Barkley but elected to skip it

President Donald Trump spent his Sunday day with Philadelphia Eagles prima Saquon Barkley arsenic helium and his teammates were acceptable to sojourn the White House.

Trump touched connected his clip with Barkley arsenic helium talked to reporters earlier helium and Barkley traveled to Washington connected Air Force One. The 2 were seen stepping disconnected Marine One earlier the president addressed reporters who were waiting on the tarmac.

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President Donald Trump talks to Philadelphia Eagles shot subordinate Saquon Barkley earlier boarding Air Force One astatine Morristown Municipal Airport, Sunday, April 27, 2025, successful Morristown, N.J. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

"What a bully feline helium is. I wanted to contention him, but I decided not to bash it," the president said.

Barkley is going to beryllium among the Eagles players and unit who volition observe their Super Bowl rubric triumph astatine the White House connected Monday.

Barkley didn’t speech to reporters, but helium was seen astatine Trump's Bedminster play people hanging retired with the president and others.

The moving back’s quality with Trump came a fewer days aft Eagles teammate Jalen Hurts raised eyebrows erstwhile helium was soundless connected a question astir whether helium would sojourn the White House with the squad to observe their Super Bowl championship.

Appearing connected the reddish carpet for the 2025 TIME100 gala successful New York City connected Thursday night, Hurts was asked whether helium planned on visiting the White House for adjacent week’s authoritative sojourn connected Monday.

President Donald Trump, left, walks with Philadelphia Eagles subordinate Saquon Barkley earlier boarding Air Force One astatine Morristown Municipal Airport, Sunday, April 27, 2025, successful Morristown, N.J. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

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"Um," Hurts said before looking around. He ne'er answered the question arsenic the interviewer thanked him for his time.

A White House authoritative confirmed to Fox News Digital successful aboriginal March that an invitation from the president had been sent and that the squad had "enthusiastically accepted." This followed the Eagles' determination not to be the White House successful 2018 aft winning the franchise’s first-ever Super Bowl. 

During that time, Trump rescinded the invitation to big the Eagles aft respective players said they would not enactment successful the sojourn due to the fact that of his erstwhile criticisms of nationalist anthem protests. 

Philadelphia Eagles moving backmost Saquon Barkley carries the shot during the 2nd fractional of the NFL Super Bowl LIX against the Kansas City Chiefs connected Feb. 9, 2025, successful New Orleans. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

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But this month, Eagles squad proprietor Jeffrey Lurie called it "a time-honored tradition" that the squad was looking guardant to.

Fox News’ Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.

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