Conversation around Abdul Carter’s Jaxson Dart criticism predictably going off the rails

One day after New York Giants linebacker Abdul Carter questioned quarterback Jaxson Dart, who introduced President Donald Trump at a rally in New York, the conversation already seems to have lost the plot.

And that’s saying something considering New York sports radio hosts haven’t even had a chance to chime in yet.

“Thought this sh*t was AI, what we doing man,” Carter wrote in a post on X over video of Dart introducing Trump at a rally at Rockland Community College in Suffern, N.Y.

thought this sh!t was AI, what we doing man https://t.co/ePR3b4MZEv

— Abdul Carter (@1NCRDB1) May 23, 2026

Dart and Carter were both first-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft and are considered cornerstones of the storied franchise’s current rebuild under first-year head coach John Harbaugh.

Naturally, the situation was begging to become a lightning rod for controversy even before Carter commented. Trump is historically unpopular and has been closely linked to child sex offender and pedophile sex-ring operator Jeffrey Epstein. Having the starting quarterback of an NFL franchise get on stage with him was bound to be front-page news and garner intense scrutiny. Especially considering the longstanding “stick to sports” mantra parroted for years by the same people likely defending this appearance.

Carter’s reaction, however, created an entirely different strain of commentary. One around the “sanctity” of the NFL locker room and putting political differences aside for the common goal of winning.

While there is merit to that line of conversation, Trump’s particular history of rhetoric, social media activity, and policies is extreme by any reasonable standard, opening the door for criticism for those who align themselves with him.

All of which is to say that social media conversations involving media members have been a sh*tshow all day long on Saturday.

We’ve entered twighlight zone. Jaxon Dart is 100% allowed to support whoever he wants. Abdul Carter can criticize if he wants. Just like people can criticize Abdul for some things he has done. I just don’t like hypocrites who love when athletes speak just as long as they agree https://t.co/uPoaFF0Ycf

— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) May 23, 2026

On one side were those who felt Carter needed to be more respectful of a teammate’s political beliefs, while others wondered why Carter was getting chided on those grounds but not Dart.

So Jaxson Dart gets to publicly express his political beliefs, but Abdul Carter doesn’t? If this is about locker room sanctity and leadership, is it a good idea for the face of the franchise to attend a political rally for a president that is considered to be hugely divisive? https://t.co/vSpuzXTTTG

— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) May 23, 2026

The incident did jumpstart conversations about the Giants’ locker room under new coach Harbaugh and how this will be a test of the new culture he’s hoping to instill.

This is a reasonable assessment of the Jaxson Dart-Abdul Carter stuff. In the end, what happens on the field will matter the most inside the locker room.

But don’t underestimate how much this will test the culture John Harbaugh is trying to build. … https://t.co/oudugMAqbB

— Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano) May 23, 2026

While it appears that Carter and Dart have talked it out, don’t expect this conversation to end anytime soon, especially once WFAN and ESPN New York get back from Memorial Day Weekend…