Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley recently weighed in on the debate surrounding professional sports teams declining White House invitations, calling the practice "stupid." His comments stemmed from speculation about the Philadelphia Eagles potentially forgoing a visit after their Super Bowl LIX victory, although they hadn't yet received an official invitation at the time.

College basketball analyst Charles Barkley on air before the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final Four championship game. (Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

On his podcast, "The Steam Room," Barkley expressed his disapproval regardless of the current president's identity. "I don’t care who the president is," he stated, according to Awful Announcing. "He’s the president of the United States. It’s bothered me the last 10 years... 'Well, I’m not going because this certain person is president.' Dude, it’s the president of the United States."

Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni holds up the Lombardi trophy as he speaks during the team’s NFL football Super Bowl LIX parade and celebration on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025 in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Barkley emphasized the importance of respecting the office, even when disagreeing with the individual holding it. "Even though I disagree with President Trump on some things, if I met him, I would still give him the respect and dignity he deserves," he explained. "We can disagree, but it bothers me when these teams don’t want to go to the White House. I’m just disappointed … we got so divided."

He lamented the current political climate, questioning, "Where did we get to as a country when we’re like, ‘We’re not going to the White House, we don’t like who’s in there.’ That’s just stupid."

President Donald Trump walks to the Residence after arriving at the White House on Feb. 22, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Tierney L. Cross/Getty Images)

This incident recalls the Eagles' previous decision to skip the White House visit during Trump's first term due to disagreements over player protests during the national anthem. However, the 2024 election saw increased athlete support for Trump, signaling a potential shift in the dynamic between sports and politics.