Donald Trump left Italian football club Juventus puzzled during their visit to the White House this week after unexpectedly veering into a rant about transgender athletes.
The team, in the U.S. for the Club World Cup, met with Trump on Wednesday (18 June). Instead of focusing solely on football, the former president launched into a tirade about “men playing in women’s sports” and questioned whether a woman could play on their squad.
“Could a woman make your team, fellas? Tell me, you think?” Trump asked the group, who appeared visibly uncomfortable. With no immediate response from the players, Juventus general manager Damien Comolli stepped in, stating, “We have a very good women’s team.”
Trump quickly replied: “You do have it, but they should be playing with women. It’s one of those things. See, they’re very diplomatic.”
Winger Timothy Weah, a U.S. national player born in New York, described the encounter as “a bit weird”. “I was caught by surprise, honestly,” he told reporters. “When he started talking about the politics with Iran and everything, it’s kind of like, ‘I just want to play football, man.’”
The moment added to growing concerns among LGBTQ+ advocates, as Trump continues his push for policies that would bar trans women and girls from competing in female sports. While such measures have faced resistance in Congress, the broader legislative trend persists.
According to the Movement Advancement Project, 27 U.S. states have passed laws preventing trans students from participating in sports aligned with their gender identity. Court challenges have blocked enforcement in five of those states.
GLAAD’s Accountability Project, which tracks anti-LGBTQ+ actions and remarks, notes Trump has made or enacted at least 263 anti-LGBTQ+ statements or policies in 2025 alone.
