italian giants Juventus, who are competingin the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup inthe United States, visited the White House to meet with President Donald Trump, a move that raised many eyebrows as it is not customary for a championship team to be invited to the United States. We take a closer look at how the visit came about, including the controversial moment that the players felt was “a little strange.”

백악관 트럼프 유벤투스 이태리 방문 만남 — This article is adapted from Huffington Post US, ‘Caught By Surprise’ – Why Were USMNT, Juventus Stars With Trump at the White House?

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an unusual visit, why did it happen?

the meeting was organized through the efforts of FIFA President Gianni Infantino. FIFA has been working hard to build a friendly relationship with the US government in order to successfully host the ongoing Club World Cup and the 2026 North American World Cup, which is just a year away.

juventus’ visit is seen as part of FIFA’s efforts, especially since the Bianconeri are home to U.S. national team players Timothy Weah and Weston McKennie, adding to the symbolism of the visit.

“Can women play?”…Trump’s off-the-cuff question and awkward silence

the potentially cordial atmosphere quickly turned awkward with a surprise question from President Trump, who asked the athletes a question that seemed to be aimed at the issue of transgender participation in sports.

“Could a woman make your team, fellas?” he asked

the unexpected question was met with embarrassed laughter from the players, and while head coach Damien Comolli wittily responded by saying, “We have a great women’s team,” Trump made things even more uncomfortable by asking, “But don’t women’s teams play against women?”

the player’s perspective: timothy Weah “It was a little weird, to be honest”

timothy Weah, a striker for the U.S. National Team who attended the event, was candid about his feelings. He told The Athletic that he was uncomfortable with the political discussion.

“It was a little weird, to be honest, when he started talking about politics with Iran, I was like, ‘I just want to play soccer…’ I’m not really into politics, so it wasn’t that interesting.”

conclusion: unexpected controversy in a diplomatic encounter

juventus’ visit to the White House was a diplomatic event to help FIFA host a successful World Cup, but President Trump’s unpredictable remarks put them at the center of a political controversy. while it was a unique and somewhat “weird” experience for the players, it will go down in history as an example of the complexities that can arise at the intersection of sports and politics.

an unusual visit, why did it happen?

“Can women play?”…Trump’s off-the-cuff question and awkward silence

the player’s perspective: timothy Weah “It was a little weird, to be honest”

conclusion: unexpected controversy in a diplomatic encounter

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