The New York Giants may already have a locker room headache on their hands, and the season has not even kicked into high gear yet.
Quarterback Jaxson Dart found himself at the center of a political firestorm after appearing at a Donald Trump campaign rally in New York on Friday, where he introduced the president to a cheering crowd in a moment that quickly lit up social media.
But the loudest reaction may have come from inside his own locker room.
Dart, the Giants’ 23-year-old quarterback and a Utah native who played college football at Ole Miss, took the stage to pump up the crowd before Trump spoke. He was there in support of Republican New York Rep. Mike Lawler, but it was his introduction of Trump that sent the internet into a frenzy.
“What an honor, what a privilege it is to be here,” Dart told the crowd. “And without further ado, I’m grateful, I’m honored, I’m pleasured to introduce the 45th and 47th President of the United States of America, President Donald J. Trump.”
The awkward “pleasured” line instantly went viral, but the bigger story came Saturday morning when Giants linebacker Abdul Carter appeared to react to the clip with disbelief.
“Thought this s–t was AI,” Carter posted on X. “What we doing man.”
thought this sh!t was AI, what we doing man https://t.co/ePR3b4MZEv
— Abdul Carter (@1NCRDB1) May 23, 2026
That one post was enough to turn a political appearance into a full-blown NFL drama.
Carter, 22, is from Philadelphia and is entering his second season in the league alongside Dart. The two had appeared close during the Giants’ most recent season, even celebrating together after New York beat the Los Angeles Chargers on Sept. 28 for the team’s first win of the year.
Now, fans are wondering whether Dart’s decision to publicly embrace Trump could create problems in a locker room filled with players from different backgrounds, cities, and political views.
The reaction online was immediate and brutal.
“Giants falling apart before the season even starts,” one user wrote.
Another warned that Dart may have badly misread the room by bringing MAGA politics into one of the bluest sports markets in America.
“Talk to your boy this is not going to fly in New York,” the user wrote. “He just separated the fanbase with that move. What a dummy.”
Others defended Dart’s right to support whoever he wants, while some took aim at Carter for calling out a teammate in public instead of handling it privately.
“Abdul, you’re playing in the biggest market in the world,” one user wrote. “Please be smarter. You’re obviously going to delete this within the next 24 hours. Mature up.”
Still, Carter’s reaction captured what many critics were already saying: this was a risky move for a young quarterback trying to lead a New York franchise.
Quarterbacks are usually expected to unify a locker room, not drop a political grenade into it. And in a city where Trump remains deeply polarizing, Dart’s rally appearance was never going to pass quietly.
Trump’s relationship with the NFL has been rocky for years. He has repeatedly clashed with players, teams, protests, halftime performers, and the culture around the league. Most recently, he blasted the Super Bowl halftime show featuring Bad Bunny, calling it a “slap in the face” to the country on Truth Social.
The White House tradition of honoring Super Bowl champions has also become tangled in politics. Trump did not invite the Seattle Seahawks to visit him, a move some saw as political payback after more than a dozen Philadelphia Eagles players skipped their White House trip, including quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Now Dart has placed himself right in the middle of that same culture war.
For Republicans, the young Giants quarterback may have looked like a bold new MAGA athlete willing to stand up in hostile territory. But for critics, especially in New York, the whole thing looked tone-deaf, awkward, and potentially damaging.
And Carter’s stunned response may be the first sign that the fallout is not just coming from fans.
It may already be inside the Giants’ locker room.
Discover more from Next Gen News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.