During their visit to Washington D.C. for the Club World Cup, Juventus players, including American internationals Timothy Weah and Weston McKennie, were invited to the White House to meet former President Donald Trump. The meeting took an unexpected turn when Trump brought up political topics, including tensions with Iran and transgender athletes in women’s sports, making several players visibly uncomfortable. Weah later described the experience as “weird,” saying he had no choice but to attend and was surprised by the discussion, expressing his preference to focus on football.

Trump made a point to acknowledge Weah and McKennie during the meeting, wishing them luck in the tournament. Despite this gesture, the players’ discomfort was evident, particularly given McKennie’s past criticisms of Trump. In 2020, McKennie openly stated he didn’t support Trump, calling him ignorant and unfit to lead. Following the team’s 5-0 win over Al Ain, Weah shared his awkward experience, suggesting the political nature of the meeting was unwelcome and not something the players had expected during their sporting campaign.