In a relatively recent phenomenon, the topic of a professional sports champion visiting the White House for a glorified photo op has once again captured the zeitgeist.
This stuff first seemingly captured national attention during former President Barack Obama‘s second term, when former Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas refused to visit the White House for the ceremonial champions’ visit.
Outlets like CNN and ABC screeched about it at the time — but took a decidedly more positive tone about it when certain champions, like the Golden State Warriors, refused to visit President Donald Trump’s White House during his first term.
(Others, like UFC star Colby Covington, weren’t nearly as magnanimous as about it.)
After the Philadelphia Eagles thoroughly trounced the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 (a final score which somehow isn’t even as close as it seems) during Super Bowl LIX, Philadelphia fans did what they normally do.
Once the dust settled, however, the first issue for the reigning Super Bowl champion Eagles cropped up: Are they going to visit Trump’s White House?
As covered by Pro Football Talk, a “report” from The U.S. Sun that the Eagles would skip a White House visit caught “fire” recently.
The report caught fire because it was believable. After all, the Eagles skipped a trip to the Trump White House the last time they won a Super Bowl during the 2018 season.
The Philadelphia Eagles decline White House visit pic.twitter.com/vIFXEZZAqy
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) February 24, 2025
Do you think the Eagles will end up visiting the White House?
Yes: 66% (21 Votes)
No: 34% (11 Votes)
The “report” was met exactly how most would probably assume it went, right along ideological lines.
Those on the left celebrated the move, while those on the right lambasted it.
WARNING: The following post refers to language that some readers may find offensive.
SAME. GO F YOURSELVES EAGLES. My husband is a fan so I got onboard but F this BS https://t.co/KemoC67QEu
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) February 24, 2025
Much to the dismay of both the left and right, it appears that their emotions are misplaced.
And that’s because of a fact check of the claim that the Eagles are skipping the White House visit finds that claim to be untrue, for now.
OutKick founder Clay Travis — who likely has actual White House sources due to his proximity to the Trump campaign — immediately refuted the claims that the Eagles had declined a White House visit:
White House source: the Philadelphia Eagles have not rejected a White House invite. The reports that have gone viral on social media are fake news. The White House has not even sent the official invite to the Eagles yet.
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) February 24, 2025
“The White House has not even sent the official invite to the Eagles yet,” Travis posted to X.
Neither the Eagles nor the White House have even made an announcement, for or against, the presumed champions’ visit. In fact, per PFF, the Eagles don’t plan to make any statement at all.
Now, given recent history, the Eagles very well may decline a White House visit — or get disinvited — but as of this publishing, any reports claiming that a decision has been definitively made, one way or another, is greatly exaggerated.
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
