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Juventus players and staff were involved in an awkward encounter at the White House on Wednesday when Donald Trump attempted to get them to enter into a debate on transgender women in sport.
The Italian football giants are in the US for the Club World Cup, and are due to play Al Ain of the UAE at Washington DC’s Audi Field on Wednesday night.
The Juventus squad, which includes US internationals Timothy Weah and Weston McKennie, were lined up behind the president as he held forth on various topics.
At one point Trump, who in February signed an executive order banning transgender participants from women’s sports, turned around to ask the Juventus players and staff about their views on the subject.
“Could a woman make your team, fellas,” Trump asked the players, who smiled nervously but did not offer a response.
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When Trump asked the question again, Juventus’s general manager, Damien Comolli, attempted to deflect the query. “We have a very good women’s team,” he said of Juventus Women, who are the reigning Serie A champions.
“But they should be playing with women,” said Trump as Comolli looked at the floor and chose not to answer. “He’s being very diplomatic,” said Trump.
Trump’s comments come at a time when trans people are facing increasing hostility in the US. Earlier on Wednesday, the US supreme court ruled that a Tennessee state law banning gender-affirming care for minors can stand. The ruling is a devastating loss for trans rights supporters in a case that could set a precedent for a stream of lawsuits involving the rights of transgender children.
