It’s been a long-standing tradition for championship winning teams to make a visit to the White House. However, since we’ve been subjected to the reign of Donald Trump, that tradition is slowly becoming a thing of the past. Trump’s behavior and constant racist, hateful rhetoric throughout his presidency have left many unwilling to show even a shred of support for the president.
The University of Virginia, who earned the Men’s NCAA Championship this May, is the most recent team to opt out of the customary visit to the Trump White House.
UVA coach Tony Bennett took to the teams Twitter feed and wrote, ” We have received inquiries about a visit to the White House. With several players either pursuing pro opportunities or moving on from UVA, it would be difficult, if not impossible to get everyone back together. We would have to respectfully decline an invitation.”
“We have received inquiries about a visit to the White House. With several players either pursuing pro opportunities or moving on from UVA, it would be difficult, if not impossible to get everyone back together. We would have to respectfully decline an invitation.” – Tony Bennett
— Virginia Men’s Basketball (@UVAMensHoops) April 26, 2019
While the UVA team took a civil approach in declining the White House offer, individual members of the team weren’t so eager to practice politeness — one of UVA’s top frontrunners for a pro career, De’Andre Hunter, tweeting, “No thanks, Trump.”
While we’re sure that Trump will whine about the UVA’s snub, their polite declining was nearly as harsh as the rejection he received from the Warriors, who visiting DC to play the Wizards and met with former president Barack Obama in lieu of current president Trump.
Stephen Curry, the Warriors’ star player, said of Donald Trump in a 2017 essay, “If there’s anything I’ve learned this year, it’s that all the noise we keep hearing—it’s not an accident. We’re hearing that noise because there are real people out there, facing real issues, and real inequalities, some in ways like never before. In 2017, in America, silence is no longer an option.”
The White House has yet to make a comment on UVA’s decision to skip the visit. We hope Trump hasn’t bought all those “hamberders” yet.
Featured image via DC Tribune gallery
