What Donald Trump said to Aussie NFL player Jordan Mailata during White House visit
Donald Trump made special mention of Australia’s first-ever Super Bowl champion Jordan Mailata during a reception at the White House. Watch the video.
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Australia’s first ever Super Bowl champion has capped of his history-making season with a trip to the White House where the President joked about the Aussie’s size and taunted pop superstar Taylor Swift.
Sydney export Jordan Mailata met with United States President Donald Trump alongside his Philadelphia Eagles teammates on Monday.
Lauding “the most powerful offensive line in the NFL”, Mr Trump singled out players including the Aussie Mailata.
“Where is he, come here,” Mr Trump said while searching the players in the group flanked behind him.
Mailata and the President shook hands and leaned in to speak privately before Mr Trump turned back to the microphone and quipped “these are big people”, drawing laughter from the audience.
During his speech, Mr Trump also took a dig at Taylor Swift, whose boyfriend Travis Kelce’s team the Kansas City Chiefs lost to the Eagles.
At the game, Mr Trump was cheered by the crowd when shown on the stadium screens while Swift was booed.
“I was there I watched in person, I was there along with Taylor Swift,” Mr Trump said on Monday. “How did that work out, how did that one work out?”
Mr Trump revelled in the crowd reactions on the day of the game, writing on social media: “The only one that had a tougher night than the Kansas City Chiefs was Taylor Swift. She got BOOED out of the Stadium. MAGA is very unforgiving!”
It’s tradition for championship winning teams to be invited to the White House but Mr Trump controversially rescinded the Eagles’ invitation during his first Presidency in 2017.
After criticising players who protested during the national anthem, the Eagles made plans for a reduced contingent of players to visit the White House, prompting Mr Trump to cancel the event altogether.
Aside from the notable absence of the Eagles’ MVP quarterback Jalen Hurts who was reportedly unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts, the 2017 rift appeared to be forgotten on Monday as Mr Trump cited the team’s motto “fly eagles, fly”, describing the team members as “modern day warriors”.
“You inspired the world with incredible spirit, athletic dominance and exceptional teamwork,” he said.
“And you made the Eagles fans everywhere really very proud, whether you’re an Eagles fan or not, they were proud to watch a team of such great power and dominance.”
The President’s daughter Ivanka Trump later shared photos of her son throwing a football with Eagles player Saquon Barkley in the Rose Garden.
“My favourite part of the day?,” she wrote.
“Theo challenging Saquon to a race in the Rose Garden after my father wisely demurred.”
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Originally published as What Donald Trump said to Aussie NFL player Jordan Mailata during White House visit