Inter Miami Boss Fires Back at Critics Over Controversial White House Visit: "We Followed All Rules"

After visiting the White House on Thursday, Lionel Messi and Inter Miami faced significant online criticism, leading to a statement from head coach Javier Mascherano.

"We followed a protocol that represents a longstanding tradition for championship teams to visit the White House," Mascherano explained during Friday's press conference, according to the Miami Herald.

President Donald Trump and his administration welcomed the Miami squad in the East Room to honor the club's 2025 MLS Cup victory, marking Inter Miami as the first MLS franchise to be received by the Trump presidency.

During the visit, the team presented Trump with a personalized No. 47 jersey and a signed, decorated ball from Messi. This occurred while tensions escalated in the Middle East due to coordinated U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran. As Inter Miami players stood in formation behind him, the President wove multiple references to the regional conflict throughout his congratulatory address, which drew minimal applause from officials and players present.

"We appreciate champions, we celebrate winners," Trump began his remarks. "The United States military, alongside our excellent Israeli allies, continues to completely devastate the opposition well ahead of timeline at unprecedented levels. We're eliminating more of Iran's missile and drone infrastructure every hour."

Trump with Inter Miami behind him: "When you see somebody walking down the street without their legs, without the arms, whose face is so badly affected and hurt, it mostly came from -- 95% -- Soleimani and Iran" pic.twitter.com/2iUUdWvsv4

What Did Mascherano Have to Say?

What Did Mascherano Have to Say?

"I expected we would discuss soccer," Mascherano stated. "We spent several hours there, managed to see portions of the White House, though not extensively, just what was accessible. Our interaction with President Trump was limited to what viewers saw on television, nothing beyond that."

Inter Miami, who captured the MLS Cup in December, scheduled the White House visit well before the U.S. and Israel launched their initial strikes within Iran, which occurred on Feb. 28.

"The White House meeting was organized between six weeks and two months in advance," Mascherano noted.

The visit to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. was synchronized with Miami's league calendar, which features an away match against D.C. United on Saturday afternoon. To handle the 'Lionel Messi phenomenon', the clubs will play 40 miles north of the White House and D.C. United's usual home venue (Audi Field) at the 71,000-capacity M&T Bank Stadium, which hosts the NFL's Baltimore Ravens.

Another year, another special stadium unlocked for @InterMiamiCF. 🔐

DC hosts MIA at M&T Bank Stadium on Saturday at 4:30pm ET: https://t.co/sZ7GSSpJxC pic.twitter.com/iGgammAWRB

The Baltimore-region match, starting at 4:30 p.m. ET, has already moved over 62,000 tickets and is anticipated to reach full capacity, per Tom Bogert.