Trump Hosts Philadelphia Eagles at White House, Except for Quarterback Jalen Hurts

The Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles visited the White House on Monday, but with a notable exception - team quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts was not present. According to White House officials, this was due to a "scheduling conflict."Despite Hurts' absence, President Trump praised him, saying he was a “terrific guy and terrific player” who gave “one stellar performance after another” during the Eagles' run to the postseason."The Eagles have turned out to be an incredible team, an incredible group," Trump said.The majority of the team, including coach Nick Sirianni and running back Saquon Barkley, attended the White House gathering. Barkley even played golf with President Trump on Sunday and hitched a ride to Washington D.C. aboard Air Force One. When asked about his close relationship with Trump on social media, Barkley wrote, "Maybe I just respect the office, not a hard concept to understand."The Eagles won the Super Bowl following a 14-3 regular season in 2024.This year's White House appearance marks a change from one of the Eagles' earlier championships. In 2018, only a few members of the team planned to attend the White House after their Super Bowl victory. Then-President Trump canceled the event and instead publicized a "Celebration of America.""The president decided to change the event so that it would be a celebration of the American flag with Eagles fans and performances by United States Marine Band and the United States Army Chorus," said then-Press Secretary Sarah Sanders.