Barkley met Trump at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster but Hurts has not confirmed his presence at the White House celebration.
Before the Philadelphia Eagles visited the White House Saquon Barkley joined Donald Trump at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster New Jersey. The meeting took place shortly before the White House invitation for the Eagles after their Super Bowl LIX championship. Trump and Barkley boarded an aircraft to Washington, D.C. before the running back joined him at the White House premises. Barkley defended his support for the president's role by saying that he chose to celebrate the position rather than any political backing. He mentioned his past golf outing with former President Barack Obama to demonstrate his political independence. The decision by Eagles starting quarterback Jalen Hurts to stay silent regarding his White House visit plans continues to remain unclear. At the TIME100 Gala event reporters asked Jalen Hurts multiple times about his plans for attending the White House visit but he merely gave an initial "Umm" response before finishing with a grin while remaining silent.
Contrasting with their 2018 invitation decline the Eagles opted to accept the White House invitation in this presidential term. Team owner Jeffrey Lurie explained the Presidential tradition to be a solid annual practice while noting attendance constitutes an evident necessity for the team though he stated players do not carry an obligatory attendance requirement. Since a political news conference generated two opposing viewpoints between Barkley and Hurts about the sports and politics connection shows ongoing contentious relationship. Players on the Eagles demonstrate various perspectives about visiting the White House as they get ready for their trip together while society debates athlete involvement in political speech.