Last week, Donald Trump did one of his favorite things to do as president: He gathered a bunch of famous people together at the White House. At the event, Trump hosted retired wrestling star Paul “Triple-H” Levesque, golfer Bryson DeChambeau, NFL Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor, and Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker and others to announce the return of the Presidential Fitness Test.
Trump also announced that those athletes, and others, would comprise a newly reconstituted President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition. The White House also announced that several other sports figures, including NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, hockey great Wayne Gretzky, and Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley.
But one of those names can be scratched off the list. Zach Berman, a Philadelphia Eagles beat reporter, reported from Eagles training camp Monday that Barkley is not, in fact, part of the council, was not prepared to take the role on, and was “shocked” that his name was mentioned last week.
Saquon Barkley said he’s not a part of President Trump’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition.
He was asked a few months ago and it wasn’t something he was prepared to take on. He was “shocked” that his name was mentioned.
— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) August 4, 2025
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Barkley was among the Super Bowl-winning Eagles players who visited the White House in April, for the traditional post-championship ceremony, although many of his teammates, including quarterback Jalen Hurts, did not make the trip to Washington. The Eagles skipped the trip altogether in 2018, when they won their previous championship during Trump’s first term.
Barkley actually played golf with Trump at Bedminster that week, and even defended his decision to do so in an X post that week. But there was also an apparent misunderstanding over whether the running back had agreed to be a part of the president’s council.
“Now ya get out my mentions with all this politics and have amazing day 😂” –@Saquon pic.twitter.com/1Lv5ebZKCb
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 28, 2025
Therefore, the White House will need to find a different athlete to teach kids how to hurdle over opposing defenders backwards.
This is what peak athleticism is.
Saquon Barkley with the backwards hurdle pic.twitter.com/UDnsbZaYd2
— Jim Demps (@jim_demps) November 3, 2024
As the NFL season approaches, Trump has also made noises about trying to block the Washington Commanders’ stadium deal in Washington, should they not agree to revert to their previous nickname.
Photo courtesy of an X screenshot.
