Italian soccer club Juventus is in the United States this month for the FIFA Club World Cup, and on Thursday they became the latest sports figures subjected to an impromptu high-stakes Donald Trump press conference during a visit to the White House.
In a strange twist of fate, U.S. men’s national team stars Tim Weah and Weston McKennie both happen to play for Juventus, meaning they were front and center behind the president as he took questions on transgender athletes, his immigration policy, and the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran in the Middle East.
While a FIFA “suit” apparently shut down a question from reporter Adam Crafton of The Athletic toward Juventus coach Igor Tudor about the strange scene in the Oval Office, reporters were able to get a few minutes with USMNT winger Tim Weah afterward.
In a quick scrum with the media after the bizarre White House event, Weah expressed his confusion about the whole experience while stating he wished he could keep to his role as an athlete and stay out of political rhetoric.
“It was all a surprise to me, honestly.” Weah said. “They just told us that we have to go, and I had no choice but to go, so I showed up.”
🗣️ “They just told us that we have to go and I had no choice but to go, so showed up.”
Tim Weah on Juventus’ White House visit. Welcome to football in 2025 🙃pic.twitter.com/QaQIv6QDRa
— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) June 19, 2025
Juventus is in the U.S. as part of FIFA’s vastly expanded Club World Cup, a new project for the global soccer body designed for an American audience. Games are hosted in major markets across the country, with DAZN streaming games for free and TNT Sports airing them on cable.
Considering that FIFA head Gianni Infantino was at the White House alongside Juventus for the promotional event, it is no surprise that Weah would feel obligated to attend.
Still, Weah appeared frustrated that the event turned into a political moment, with Trump roping in Infantino as well as Juventus players and coaches into questions about hot-button political issues.
“I guess it was a cool experience, being in the White House as a first-timer, it’s always wonderful,” Weah said, “But I’m not one for the politics. So it wasn’t that exciting.”
Weah added that he was shocked when Trump began fielding important questions during the event.
“It was a bit weird,” Weah said. “I was caught by surprise, honestly, when (Trump) started talking about all the politics with Iran and everything. I was kind of like, ‘I just want to play football.'”
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.