During a White House visit on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, President Donald Trump hosted the Juventus football club, who are in the United States for the Club World Cup. What was intended as a routine photo opportunity quickly turned awkward when Trump addressed the team with a question about transgender athletes, a topic he has frequently discussed publicly.
As the Juventus players stood behind him in the Oval Office, Trump turned to them and asked, "Could a woman make your team, fellas?" The players, seemingly caught off guard, exchanged glances but remained silent. Unwilling to drop the subject, Trump then directed the same question to the team's general manager, Damien Comolli, who responded diplomatically, "We have a very good women's team." Trump, however, pressed further, questioning whether they should be playing with women, before remarking, "See, they're very diplomatic."
The moment was met with immediate backlash online, with many users calling Trump's question "horrible," "awkward," and "transphobic." Critics questioned the relevance of the inquiry to the team's visit and praised the Juventus players and staff for their restraint and professionalism in the face of an uncomfortable situation. One user wrote, "Crazy when a soccer team is more diplomatic than the President of the United States."
Trump's comments come amid his ongoing focus on transgender athletes in sports. In February, he signed an executive order titled "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports," reflecting his stance that transgender women should not compete in women's sports. This position has been a recurring theme throughout his second term, often drawing both support and criticism.
The incident occurred shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for minors, a decision seen as a setback for transgender rights advocates. Some observers noted that Trump's remarks were particularly insensitive given the current climate of rising hostility toward transgender individuals in the U.S.
Despite the awkward exchange, Juventus went on to defeat Al Ain 5-0 in their Club World Cup opener later that day. The team's victory, fueled by goals from Randal Kolo Muani and Francisco Conceição, propelled them to the top of Group G. While the players may have been uncomfortable with the political turn their White House visit took, they seemingly put it behind them to focus on their performance on the field.
The Juventus organization has notably refrained from making any public statements regarding the White House visit, perhaps signaling their desire to avoid further involvement in the controversy. The incident, however, underscores the increasing intersection of sports and politics, and the challenges that athletes and teams face when navigating sensitive social issues in the public eye.
