Juventus players caught in awkward moment with Donald Trump at White House visit
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The Italian club, currently touring the US for the Club World Cup, made a brief appearance in Washington ahead of Thursday's 5-0 win over Al Ain at Audi Field.
What was intended as a goodwill photo opportunity quickly turned awkward when Trump turned the conversation to the topic of transgender athletes in sport.
Trump's Comments Met With Nervous Silence
Trump, who earlier this year signed an executive order banning transgender women from participating in women's sports at a federal level, turned to the Juventus players and asked:
Could a woman make your team, fellas?
The question was met with nervous smiles and no responses.
Juventus general manager Damien Comolli attempted to steer the conversation elsewhere by highlighting the club's strong women's side, who are the reigning Serie A champions.
We have a very good women's team.
Trump responded:
But they should be playing with women. He's being very diplomatic.
Trump asks the Juventus players standing behind him if women could make their team and tries to bait them into endorsing his transphobia pic.twitter.com/cJymDAmcSd
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 18, 2025
"I Just Want to Play Football"
US international Timothy Weah spoke candidly after the incident.
It was weird. I was caught by surprise, honestly, when he started talking politics, with Iran and everything. I was kind of like, I just want to play football.
Weah, who was standing behind Trump alongside teammate Weston McKennie and club staff, added:
They just told us that we have to go, and I had no choice but to go.
So I guess it was a cool experience, obviously being in the White House as a first time, it's always wonderful. But I'm not one for the politics, so it wasn't that exciting.
A Tense Political Backdrop
The exchange comes amid a wider backdrop of increasing legal and political tension surrounding transgender rights in the United States.
Just hours before Juventus' White House visit, the US Supreme Court upheld a Tennessee law banning gender-affirming care for minors, a significant legal moment that could influence cases across multiple states.
Juventus have not issued an official comment on the White House meeting, and the event was not widely promoted by the club on their social platforms.
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