Donald Trump has leapt to the defense of New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart after the NFL star was forced to address locker room unrest after giving a speech introducing the president at a rally.
Dart addressed reporters on Friday after he sparked liberal fury when he was seen cozying up to Trump at the rally in Suffern, New York, last week. One of his NFL teammates, Abdul Carter, even called him out on social media over the interaction but both men have since insisted they have cleared the air in private.
In the days since Dart’s speech, Trump has praised the Giants star on multiple occasions and spoke up again on Saturday on Truth Social.
‘Thank you Jaxson! It was great being with you,’ he wrote. ‘I know you’re taking some heat from the Radical Left Lunatics who are jealous of you, me, and everyone who surrounds us but, I also know that your Jersey also went to Number One, and you’re making Millions of Dollars so, YOU ARE A WINNER — THEY ARE ALL LOSERS.
‘I’ll see you in the White House! President DJT.’
Trump shared the statement alongside a picture of Dart with his girlfriend, Marissa Ayers, from the NFL Honors on Super Bowl week in San Francisco.
Jaxson Dart explained why he agreed to introduce Donald Trump at a Republican rally
The quarterback’s move to align himself with the President caused locker room unrest
Speaking to reporters after practice on Friday for the first time since introducing Trump, Dart said: ‘The president position has always been a position that I’ve well respected, regardless of political affiliation, regardless of political party and my intentions were just that.
The 23-year-old added: ‘I also understand that in this world, politics can be a sensitive matter, a sensitive topic. I also understand that I am the quarterback of the New York Giants, and that involves a lot of responsibility. It’s under a limelight, under a microscope, and there’s a lot that comes with that.
‘Obviously, this was a unique opportunity, being asked and given the opportunity to introduce the President of the United States. My thinking was pretty simple.
‘I’ve always loved this country. I have extended family members who have fought in wars. I have two uncles who have retired from the Air Force Academy… and I even have a great grandfather who served as Secretary of Treasury at some point.’
The day after Dart’s MAGA appearance, Giants teammate Carter had commented on a clip of it and wrote: ‘Thought this s*** was AI , what we doing man’.
Speaking Friday, Carter added: ‘I don’t want him to say he’s sorry. Stand on what you believe in, but it can’t be a problem if I stand on what I believe in. As long as we have that understanding, it’s all good.’
On Friday, Trump underlined how impressed he was with Dart after meeting him.
‘Well, first of all, I wish I looked just like Jaxson,’ Trump said. ‘I said, is he a male model or what? He’s a handsome guy, like a beautiful guy, and a conservative guy.
New York Giants quarterback Dart pictured alongside his girlfriend, Marissa Ayers
‘He’s potentially a great quarterback. He’s a young boy. He had just really started. But when he’s in a game, he moves the team. And I didn’t know him, but I watched him a little bit. And he really moves the team. He’s got tremendous potential. He stays healthy, he’s going to be a great.’
Amid speculation over a potential civil war in the New York camp, Dart addressed his teammates during a meeting on Wednesday, according to NFL insiders Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport.
The signal caller is said to have called the meeting to discuss his introduction of Trump, with he and the team now moving past the issue.
Dart is heading into his first full season as the starting quarterback for the Giants in 2026. The Giants traded back into the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft to pick him out of college – ironically, after they first chose Carter – and he soon dislodged Russell Wilson as starting quarterback.
The Giants meet Dallas Cowboys in a hugely anticipated showdown on September 13 in the first Sunday Night Football showdown of the new season.
