WASHINGTON, May 30, 2026 — President Donald Trump publicly defended New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart on Friday after the second-year NFL starter faced a week of backlash — including from a prominent teammate — for introducing Trump at a political rally in New York, posting on Truth Social that Dart is a winner surrounded by losers and extending an invitation to the White House.
“Thank you Jaxson! It was great being with you,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I know you’re taking some heat from the Radical Left Lunatics who are jealous of you, me, and everyone who surrounds us but, I also know that your Jersey also went to Number One, and you’re making Millions of Dollars so, YOU ARE A WINNER — THEY ARE ALL LOSERS. I’ll see you in the White House!”
The Rally and the Backlash
Dart appeared at a Trump rally on May 22 at Rockland Community College’s Eugene Levy Fieldhouse in Suffern, New York — a “Fighting for American Workers” event held in support of Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y. Dart and Trump had not previously met. Trump praised Dart lavishly from the podium, saying: “I wish I looked just like Jaxson. I said, ‘Is he a male model or what?’ He’s a handsome guy, like a beautiful guy, conservative guy.” Trump also called Dart a potential great quarterback, saying: “He’s a young boy who’s just started. But when he’s in the game, he moves the team.”
The appearance immediately drew criticism on social media. The most prominent came from Dart’s Giants teammate Abdul Carter, who said publicly he was so shocked by the rally appearance he thought it was AI-generated. Carter expressed his disappointment openly, setting off a week of coverage about division in the Giants locker room.
Dart’s Response
Dart addressed his teammates in a team meeting on Wednesday before publicly breaking his silence at an OTA press conference on Friday. “Obviously, this was a unique opportunity, being asked and given the opportunity to introduce the President of the United States,” Dart told reporters in a prepared statement. “My thinking was pretty simple, in the fact of, I’ve always loved this country. I have extended family members who have fought in wars. I have two uncles who have retired from the Air Force Academy and served themselves. And I even have a great-grandfather who served as the Secretary of the Treasury at some point. The president position has always been a position that I have a lot of respect in, regardless of political affiliation, regardless of political party.”
Dart is a self-described conservative from Utah who was selected by the Giants in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft out of the University of Mississippi, where he won the Davey O’Brien Award as the nation’s top quarterback. He declined to share details of his private conversation with Carter but said the locker room had worked through the disagreement. Carter later confirmed the two had spoken, saying: “I don’t want him to say he’s sorry. Stand on what you believe in, but it can’t be a problem if I stand on what I believe in. As long as we have that understanding, it’s all good.”
Giants head coach John Harbaugh said the locker room emerged from the situation stronger.
Trump’s Fox News Remarks
Before his Truth Social post, Trump had already defended Dart in a separate interview with Lara Trump on Fox News’ My View with Lara Trump. “So, when Jaxson gets harassed a little bit, he’s also loved more,” Trump said. “Because we have more people than they do.”
Trump also addressed the jersey sales milestone Dart had achieved — noting in his Truth Social post that Dart’s jersey had risen to number one in sales, a reflection of the polarizing attention the rally generated driving consumer interest among Trump supporters.
Dart’s Background
Dart, 23, is entering his second NFL season with the New York Giants after a breakout rookie year in which he established himself as one of the team’s most popular players. He grew up in a military family in Utah — his two uncles retired from the Air Force Academy — and has been open about his conservative values since being drafted. He threw for 2,170 yards and 15 touchdowns in his rookie season, earning a reputation as a mobile, instinctive quarterback capable of extending plays.
The controversy is unlikely to damage Dart’s standing with the Giants organization, which has refrained from commenting on the political dimensions of his rally appearance, focusing instead on the team’s preparation for the 2026 NFL season.
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