WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump celebrated the Philadelphia Eagles’ 2025 Super Bowl victory, dubbing the players “modern day warriors,” during a sunny South Lawn ceremony at the White House on Monday. 


What You Need To Know

  • President Donald Trump celebrated the Philadelphia Eagles’ 2025 Super Bowl victory, dubbing the players “modern day warriors,” during a sunny South Lawn ceremony at the White House on Monday
  • The president directed attention and praise to Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley, who rode with Trump from the president’s golf club in New Jersey to Washington on Air Force One and Marine One on Sunday
  • Trump, who attended the Eagles’ 40-22 Super Bowl victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in New Orleans in February, used the celebration as a chance to take a swipe at pop star Taylor Swift, who is dating the Chiefs player Travis Kelce and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris
  • Notably absent from the South Lawn ceremony was quarterback Jalen Hurts
  • In his first term, Trump invited and then canceled a celebration for the Eagles in 2018 after the franchise’s first Super Bowl title

Trump lauded the Eagles as an “incredible team,” calling their visit to the White House “special and important” and noting he had gifts for the players, who he said he intended to take to the Oval Office after remarks. 

The president directed attention and praise to Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley, who rode with Trump from the president’s golf club in New Jersey to Washington on Air Force One and Marine One on Sunday.

“I offered him a ride on Air Force One because I was coming down and usually they say ‘no, no I don’t think so,’” Trump said of the running back. “He said ‘I’ll take it, sir.’” 

He went on to refer to Barkley as a good golfer but a much better football player. 

Trump, who attended the Eagles’ commanding 40-22 Super Bowl victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in New Orleans in February, mentioned he was there in person to watch the game play out – and used it as a chance to take a swipe at pop star Taylor Swift, who is dating the Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce and endorsed the president’s Democratic opponent in 2024. 

“I was there, along with Taylor Swift – how did that work out?” Trump said, seemingly referring to the election and the singer’s backing of former Vice President Kamala Harris. 

Ahead of the game, Trump had predicted that the Chiefs would walk away with the title, praising the team’s quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

The president, meanwhile, also took the occasion on Monday to offer his personal endorsement of Philadelphia’s famous “tush push” play, calling it “exciting and different” and noting he hopes the league keeps it amid talk about whether to ban it.

Notably absent from the South Lawn ceremony was quarterback Jalen Hurts. The Associated Press reported he and several other players sat out the event, citing scheduling conflicts.

Before the celebration, Barkley responded to criticisms of his round of golf with Trump on Sunday, writing on X that "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."

In his first term, Trump invited and then canceled a celebration for the Eagles in 2018 after the franchise’s first Super Bowl title. He instead threw his own brief “Celebration of America” after it became clear most players weren’t going to show up.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.