Donald Trump left the Juventus men’s team speechless during their visit to the White House on Wednesday (18 June) as he asked them a very bizarre question.
The 79-year-old US president welcomed the Italian football club to spend time in the Oval Office during their time in America for the FIFA Club World Cup.
In what looked like a very awkward set up, the players were lined up behind Trump as he sat at his desk in front of them.
The team, which includes US nationals Timothy Weah and Weston McKennie, triumphed with a 5-0 win over Al Ain before their brief visit to see the president.
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A now-viral clip shows Trump seemingly attempting to goad the team into entering the debate on transgender players in sport.
He asked McKennie: “Could a woman make your team fellas, tell me? You think?”
After some uncomfortable seconds with no-one saying anything, seemingly as confused as we are, Manuel Locatelli answered: ‘Yeah?’
Trump then insisted: “You’re being nice,” before turning to the team’s leaders and asking: “What do you think? Think a woman could make the team?”
He continued to ask: “General manager, what do you think?”
General manager Damien Comolli said in response: “We have a very good women’s team though.”
The Republican leader then replied: “You do have but they should be playing with women, right? It’s one of those things. See, they’re very diplomatic.”
As to be expected, the ‘strange’ questioning has sparked backlash on social media, with people making their views clear in the comments under the video.
One baffled viewer wrote: “What an insanely odd thing to ask in this situation.”
Another added: “What goes through his head?!? Such a strange question.”
Meanwhile, a third penned: “Ugh! There’s wars happening and THIS is what the president is focusing on.”
“Excruciatingly touch watch,” remarked another, with someone else adding: “They’re all uncomfortable”.
And over on Twitter, someone wrote: “Crazy when a soccer team is more diplomatic than the President of the United States.”
Another social media user chimed in with: “Maga is more obsessed with trans people than trans people.”
It comes after Trump issued a ban on transgender athletes competing in women’s sports back in February.
He signed a controversial order, which seeks to ban transgender athletes from competing on girls' and women's sports teams by denying federal funds for schools that allow it.
Topics: Donald Trump, Football, Sport, Social Media
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Madison Burgess