President Donald Trump has publicly praised Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart several times since May. But his latest comment on June 4 from the White House stood out for a different reason. The comment had nothing to do with Dart’s talent or stats. It focused on his size and the debate over women’s sports.
President Donald J. Trump speaks at a rally in the fieldhouse at Rockland Community College, May 22, 2026. © Peter Carr/The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The public connection between Trump and Dart began on May 22 when the quarterback introduced the president at a rally in Suffern, New York. The appearance drew immediate backlash inside the Giants locker room. Teammates pushed back, with Jameis Winston addressing the controversy directly. Despite the friction, Trump continued publicly defending Dart, calling him a “winner” and predicting a Hall of Fame career for the Ole Miss product.
On Thursday afternoon, Trump addressed reporters at the White House and returned to the subject of Dart once more. This time, he framed his comments around the ongoing national debate over transgender athletes in women’s sports. Trump recounted a recent exchange with the Giants quarterback. “I said, ‘How do you think you do in women’s sports, Jaxson?'” Trump said. “He said, ‘Pretty good, sir.’ He didn’t know I was joking. He was not worried. Let me put it that way.”
Trump then made the comment that quickly went viral. “He would have been the greatest athlete in the history of women’s sports,” Trump said. “You’ve got to see the size of this guy. Like a male model, and he’s going to be a great quarterback.” The comment referenced Dart’s listed size of 6’3″ and 225-plus pounds, which Trump used to make a broader argument about biological males in female athletics, an issue with two related Supreme Court cases pending this month.
Leigh Steinberg defends Jaxson Dart-Trump controversy
NFL agent Leigh Steinberg weighed in on the ongoing Trump-Dart story. He called the mainstream media backlash against Dart’s rally appearance “overblown.” Steinberg noted that Trump’s comments about transgender issues represented “a particularly polarizing issue” and compared it to high profile athletes backing Democratic candidates in the past with little backlash.
“I do, because again, there’s a long history of athletes backing Democratic candidates,” Steinberg said. “Athletes like LeBron James and Stephen Curry have openly backed Democratic candidates, with little comparative comparable backlash.”
Dart, meanwhile, has not addressed the June 4 remarks publicly.Dart’s rookie season already generated substantial attention before Trump ever called his name at a rally. He posted 24 total touchdowns after replacing Russell Wilson in Week 4 and led the Giants to notable wins. He upset the then-undefeated Chargers in his first start and beat the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles 34-17 in his second. Despite those numbers, he finished fourth in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting.
The 2026 season will begin under new head coach John Harbaugh, who joined the Giants in January. Dart now enters his second NFL year, having already been tied to a presidential rally, a viral White House clip, and a trans athlete debate,none of which he sought out.
Trump’s June 4 comments quickly drew reactions from fans and the media. The clip circulated widely across platforms within hours of the press conference. For the Giants and for Dart, the challenge going into Year 2 is separating the political spotlight from the work of proving he belongs among the NFL’s elite quarterbacks.