Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie reportedly called Trump’s presidency ‘disastrous’ in league meeting

It’s still unclear whether or not the Philadelphia Eagles will visit the White House. Talks are still ongoing between the Trump administration and the team, and numerous players that helped deliver the city its first Super Bowl have stated that they won’t attend if the team decides to go. A recent report from the New York Times introduces an element that could make the situation even more complicated.

In the report, the Times cites audio it obtained from a meeting between players, owners and other NFL personnel where Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie called Trump’s presidency “disastrous.”

“Another fact I want to throw out there: Many of us have no interest in supporting President Trump,” Mr. Lurie said, according to a recording of the meeting obtained by The New York Times. “Yes, there are some. There are some players who do, too.”

“But this is not where you brandish a group of people because they own assets in a sport we love, supporting what many of us perceive as, you know, one disastrous presidency,” he said, using a vulgarity to emphasize “disastrous,” then adding, “Don’t quote me.”

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders says the two sides hope to have a date finalized in the coming weeks. Players such as Malcolm Jenkins, Chris Long, and Torrey Smith have been vocal about not attending and have made their criticism of President Trump known.

The Eagles released a statement on Monday, saying they were still considering the invitation:

“We have been in contact with White House representatives and are currently discussing the logistics of an upcoming visit to Washington. We are honored to receive this invitation and view this not only as an opportunity to be recognized for our on-field accomplishments, but also as an opportunity to engage in productive dialogue with the leaders of our country.”

The coming weeks will tell us whether or not Lurie’s comments will have any impact on a future visit.