USMNT and Juventus Stars Make Unexpected White House Appearance with Trump
Juventus previously featured an oval-shaped emblem, but beyond that detail, there are few connections between the renowned Italian football club and the Presidential Oval Office in the United States.
However, this changed on Wednesday when several players from the Serie A team visited President Donald Trump at the White House, prior to their inaugural FIFA Club World Cup fixture against Al Ain at Audi Field in Washington, D.C.
The Juventus contingent featured U.S. men's national team midfielders Weston McKennie and Timothy Weah, along with various others, including owner John Elkann, as they gifted Trump a Juventus jersey bearing the number 47, commemorating his status as America's 47th President.
Accompanying them were head coach Igor Tudor, plus Manuel Locatelli, Federico Gatti, Teun Koopmeiners, Dusan Vlahovic, and former Juventus and LAFC defender Giorgio Chiellini, all supported by CEO Maurizio Scanavino, general manager Damien Comolli, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
While Juventus, FIFA, and the White House haven't clarified the reasoning behind this gathering, it's typical for sports teams to visit the President, with most American championship-winning squads participating in such events. Trump also maintains a strong relationship with Infantino.
Despite Elkann, who serves as chairperson at Exor, which holds controlling interests in Juventus and Ferrari, having voiced worries about Trump's tariff policies affecting automotive imports, he received commendation from the President, who described him as "a fantastic business person, a man who has done a fantastic job in the automobile industry."
What Transpired During Juventus' Trump Meeting?
During this showcase and media event, Trump addressed various subjects, including transgender athletes in sports, Middle Eastern conflicts and recent tensions between Israel and Iran, the ongoing Club World Cup and the upcoming FIFA World Cup in 2026.
At the meeting's start, he addressed the Juventus players, asking, "Could a woman make your team, fellas?" This prompted shrugs and smiles from the squad, including Weah and McKennie, before Comolli highlighted Juventus' successful women's team, which recently claimed the Serie A Femminile title.
"But they should be competing with women," Trump responded to this comment, having recently enacted an executive order preventing men and transgender women from participating in women's sports.
Trump also claimed that the Juventus vs. Al Ain match was completely sold out before the official attendance figure was revealed as 18,161, falling short of Audi Field's 20,000 capacity.
Weah's Response
Following Juventus' 5-0 victory over Al Ain, Weah addressed the media and indicated that participating in the press conference caught him off guard, and that the USMNT international felt compelled to attend.
"It was completely unexpected for me, honestly — they informed us that we had to attend and I had no option but to go," he told The Athletic, noting it was his first White House visit.
"I was taken aback, honestly. It felt somewhat strange. When he began discussing politics with Iran and everything, it's like, I just want to focus on football, man...I suppose it was an interesting experience being in the White House, but I'm not interested in politics, so it wasn't particularly thrilling.
Tudor also commented on the meeting, stating "We received an invitation to the White House, and that's not an everyday occurrence. It was an honor."
Juventus advances in the Club World Cup with a match against Morocco's Wydad AC on Sunday, following the African team's 2–0 defeat to England's Manchester City in their opening encounter.