A number of NCAA champions met with President Donald Trump and had their pictures taken at the White House on Tuesday, although fans might struggle to find Georgia’s title-winning women’s tennis team.
After beating Texas A&M for the 2025 national title 11 months earlier, the Bulldogs were among the student athletes pictured on White House social media specialist Margo Martin’s X account.
The problem, as many online critics were quick to point out, was that the reigning national champions were hardly visible. Standing behind the grinning President and head coach Drake Bernstein’s staff, the 11 individuals who actually won the NCAA title seemed like an afterthought in the photo.
‘I can barely see the women,’ read a response from one critic on X. ‘This is embarrassing, and the image is a great visual representation of the Republican Party’s attitudes towards women.’
‘This photo was [to] honor the team, and you can’t even see them,’ another pointed out. ‘Shameful! Low class!’
Others used AI to move the women to the forefront of the picture while pushing Trump and Georgia’s all-male coaching staff into the background.
After winning the national outdoor title 11 months earlier, the Bulldogs players (in back) were among the student athletes pictured on White House social media accounts on Tuesday
President Donald Trump greets a member of the Georgia Women’s Tennis team on Tuesday
The Georgia Bulldogs celebrate their win over the Texas A&M Aggies in the NCAA Division I Women’s Tennis Championship held at the Hurd Tennis Center on May 18, 2025 in Waco
‘Fixed it,’ one critic wrote after posting such an image. ‘Put the champions front and center—congrats to Georgia Women’s Tennis.’
Others simply deleted the men in the photo altogether: ‘That’s better lol.’
The problem was all the more obvious given Trump’s portrayal of himself as the savior of women’s sports in the US.
In response to nationwide uproar over a handful of trans competitors in amateur female athletics, Trump issued an executive order (EO) in February of 2025 vowing to ‘protect opportunities for women and girls to compete in safe and fair sports.’
The EO threatened public funding of any non-compliant institution, prompting Trump to declare he was ‘proud to be the President to SAVE Women’s Sports.’
Trump’s online critics were quick to remember that boast after seeing the 79-year-old standing in front of the 11 Georgia tennis players on hand.
‘What happened to keeping men out of women’s sports?’ a critic asked on X.
‘Really put the woman front & centre, didn’t you,’ another followed.
Trump is seen standing front and center with the Wake Forest men’s tennis team
Here Trump is pictured with a few members of Florida State’s champion soccer team
The Georgia Bulldogs pose for a photo after winning their 2025 national title in Waco
Several were surprised to discover the photo was genuine.
‘I didn’t think this was real lmao,’ one wrote. ‘What an honor for them to be in the back there.’
Others have come to expect such social media posts from Trump’s White House: ‘Of course they put the women in the back. Just like the misogynistic a**holes they are.’
Although not every team member was at the White House on Tuesday, the 2025 Georgia Bulldogs included Sarah Branicki, Tatum Buffington, Haley Gaudette, Guillermina Grant, Anastasiia Lopata, Aysegul Mert, Hayden Mulberry, Mai Nirundorn, Mell Reasco, Sofia Rojas, Alexandra Vecic and Dasha Vidmanova.
This season, Georgia is 18-5 and a perfect 7-0 at home as they head into next month’s NCAA Tournament. In addition to the 2025 NCAA outdoor title, the Bulldogs have already captured the 2026 ITA indoor title as well.
As for the coach, Bernstein told the Athens Banner-Herald he and the team were excited to meet Trump at the White House.
‘We are thrilled to be able to represent UGA and the state of Georgia at the White House today,’ Bernstein said in a text message. ‘This is a terrific experience and memory for these young ladies to be able to share for the rest of their lives.’
