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19th Jun 2025

Trump asks Juventus players about transgender players at White House

Adam Festus

An awkward encounter.

Juventus began their Club World Cup campaign with a 5-0 thrashing over Al-Ain on Wednesday night. They now sit in joint top-spot in group G with Premier League giants Manchester City.

The Old Lady squad went on to visit the White House afterwards to meet Donald Trump. The members of the team, which contains US internationals Weston McKennie and Timothy Weah, all were lined up behind the president as he spoke to the media.

Trump had signed an executive order in February, where he banned transgender participants from women’s sports. At one point during the White House meeting, he turned around to McKennie to ask him his opinions on the topic of transgender athletes.

Trump said: “Could a woman make your team, fellas?”

The Juventus players stood in silence and looked uncomfortable before Juventus midfielder, Manuel Locatelli, answered the question with a yes.

The president claimed Locatelli was being nice with his reply. Trump then posed the same question to Juventus’s general manager, Damien Comolli, who offered a response.

Comolli said: “We have a very good women’s team.”

Trump replied: “But they should be playing with women.

“He’s [Comolli] being very diplomatic.” 

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