When Jaxson Dart introduced President Donald Trump at a rally last month, the New York Giants quarterback seemingly did not expect to receive such furious online vitriol.
But as Dart, 23, faced backlash both from outsiders and teammates since the May 22 speech in Suffern, New York, it was the president who leapt to his defense.
Trump praised the Giants star on multiple occasions – even once describing him as a ‘male model’ – and spoke up again on Saturday on Truth Social. He shared a statement alongside a picture of Dart with his girlfriend, Marissa Ayers, from this year’s NFL Honors event.
‘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.’
But a source has revealed the impact of the president’s latest public intervention on the team as a whole, telling the Daily Mail that Dart now seems desperate to move on for the sake of the Giants’ hopes going into the new NFL season.
Jaxson Dart wishes Donald Trump had never addressed the controversy surrounding him
Dart sparked fury on the right last week after he had to defend his decision to support Trump
‘There has been a lot of optimism around the Giants lately that the franchise is finally heading back in the right direction after all the major moves they’ve made, especially bringing in new head coach John Harbaugh,’ the insider said.
‘But as the team has started building chemistry, Jaxson’s very public display with the president definitely rubbed some teammates the wrong way. In New York, everything gets analyzed under a microscope, so bringing politics into the spotlight like that created some tension internally.
‘Since then, everyone has had conversations and aired out how they feel, so there’s at least a level of understanding now, but it’s still a delicate situation.
‘The best thing Jaxson can do is perform on the field and let his play quiet the controversy. Some trust was shaken, and while the team hopes they addressed it early, it’ll become more clear once the season gets underway whether any of those feelings still linger. If the upcoming season is a disaster, we will all know where it started.’
The source continued: ‘Now that the president has talked about the controversy and supported Jaxson, he appreciates it but wishes that the president didn’t say anything because it continues the story and continues the narrative that Jaxson is not the leader of the team that they need.
‘An NFL career has a very short shelf life, and Jaxson is hoping for people, including the president to stop talking about it ASAP.’
The Daily Mail has contacted the Giants for comment.
Dart had an impressive rookie season for the Giants after being drafted out of Ole Miss and will be hoping to cement himself as one of the best quarterback in the NFL under new head coach John Harbaugh.
Amid speculation over a potential civil war in the New York camp, Dart addressed his teammates during a meeting last Wednesday, according to NFL insiders Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport.
He is said to have called the meeting to discuss his introduction of Trump, with he and the team now moving past the issue.
The quarterback’s move to align himself with the President caused locker room unrest
Dart was called out about it by his Giants teammate Abdul Carter on social media
Speaking to reporters after practice on Friday, 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 appearance alongside Trump, Giants teammate Abdul 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.’
The Giants meet Dallas Cowboys in a hugely anticipated showdown on September 13 in the first Sunday Night Football showdown of the new season.
