Trump Defends Dart Over Rally Backlash, Praises Giants Quarterback's Potential
President Donald Trump has publicly defended New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart following criticism directed at the 23-year-old after he introduced the president at a campaign-style rally in Suffern, New York, on May 22, 2026. Speaking during a recorded interview with Lara Trump on Fox News' "My View with Lara Trump," set to air Saturday, Trump said the backlash had a counterbalancing effect. "So, when Jaxson gets harassed a little bit, he's also loved more," Trump said. "Because we have more people than they do."
The rally, held at Rockland Community College's Eugene Levy Fieldhouse in support of Rep. Mike Lawler, marked the first meeting between Trump and Dart. Trump praised the quarterback's appearance and demeanor from the stage, saying, "I wish I looked just like Jaxson. I said, 'Is he a male model or what? He's a handsome guy, like a beautiful guy, conservative guy.'" Trump also recounted Dart telling him, "I love you, sir." In the Fox News interview, Trump assessed Dart's football ability directly: "He's potentially a great quarterback. He's a young boy who's just started. But when he's in the game, he moves the team. He stays healthy, he's going to be great."
Dart's appearance alongside the president drew public criticism from at least one teammate, Giants edge rusher Abdul Carter, who posted a rebuke on X before subsequently deleting it. Dart, a first-year starter entering his second NFL season, is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and played college football at the University of Mississippi before being drafted by New York. His background - raised in Utah, active in hunting and fishing, educated in Mississippi - is consistent with the conservative profile Trump described at the rally and reiterated in the interview.
The episode arrives as Dart prepares for what will be his first full season as the Giants' starting quarterback, a role that already carries significant scrutiny independent of his political associations. Whether the public exchange between the president and Carter has lasting effect on the Giants' locker room dynamic remains to be seen as the team moves toward the 2026 NFL season.
