Giants Dart and Carter end locker-room rift after Trump

Jaxson Dart moved to unify the New York Giants after angering Abdul Carter last week by introducing President Donald Trump at a Republican rally in Suffern, New York. Carter called him out publicly, then they met privately and cleared the air—while Dart said h

New York Giants teammates Jaxson Dart and Abdul Carter didn’t just talk it out—they made sure the locker-room noise stopped.

After last week’s Donald Trump controversy, the two publicly ended their rift. Dart. who angered Carter after introducing the President at a Republican rally near the city. struck a unifying tone in a prepared statement at the Giants practice facility on Friday during organized team activities (OTAs) in East Rutherford. New Jersey.

“I can honestly say that I love every single one of my brothers, my teammates on this team, regardless of politics, regardless of religious beliefs, regardless of anything that may be different between us,” Dart said.

Carter’s frustration had been visible first. He had called Dart out on social media for deciding to introduce Trump at a rally in Suffern, New York in support of Mike Lawler’s congressional re-election campaign.

On Friday, though, Carter made it clear he didn’t want Dart to walk back anything publicly. Asked if Dart offered an apology, Carter insisted there was no need for one.

“I don’t want him to say he’s sorry. Stand on what you believe in, but it can’t be a problem if I stand on what I believe in. As long as we have that understanding, it’s all good,” Carter said.

Dart didn’t apologize Friday, either. Instead, he defended his choice to introduce Trump as an act of patriotism, saying it was “a unique opportunity” that put him in the position to speak as the President was being introduced.

“Obviously, this was a unique opportunity, being asked and given the opportunity to introduce the President of the United States,” Dart said. “My thinking was pretty simple.”

He described a deep personal respect for the office. citing family ties to military service and the Air Force Academy. saying he has “extended family members who have fought in wars. ” “two uncles who have retired from the Air Force Academy. ” and “a great grandfather who served as Secretary of Treasury at some point.”.

It was unclear which former Treasury Secretary Dart’s relative was, but the quarterback’s point led to one specific detail: Richard Nixon-appointee David M. Kennedy hailed from Dart’s home state of Utah.

Regardless of the exact lineage, Dart framed his message as consistent—respect for the presidential position regardless of party.

“So the president position has always been a position that I’ve well respected, regardless of political affiliation, regardless of political party and my intentions were just that,” Dart continued.

Dart’s remarks also carried a visible sense of team control in a moment that had spilled beyond football. He led the audience on a chant of “Go Big Blue!” before introducing Donald Trump on Friday, according to the team’s social media post shared May 29, 2026.

Even as he sought to lower the temperature inside the building, Dart also acknowledged the broader reality he now faces as the Giants quarterback—where every public appearance becomes part of the spotlight.

But that doesn’t mean Dart planned to keep introducing himself to partisan spaces. Asked about whether he would continue participating in politics through speaking opportunities, Dart stopped short of swearing off future speaking gigs.

“I also understand that in this world, politics can be a sensitive matter, a sensitive topic,” Dart said. “I also understand that I am the quarterback of the New York Giants, and that involves a lot of responsibility. It’s under a limelight, under a microscope, and there’s a lot that comes with that. And it’s been something that I’ve embraced. I’ve loved being here. I’ve loved the city of New York. I love the city (sic) of New Jersey.”.

The reaction outside the facility has been mixed across New York and New Jersey—two states Trump has failed to win in any of his three presidential campaigns.

Carter, a Philadelphia native, had been the most direct critic, posting on X: “Thought this s*** was AI , what we doing man.” Carter was picked third overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, but struggled some as a rookie.

After that public spark, the two Giants players met privately and made peace, though Carter still defended his own actions by stressing that he rejected Trump while maintaining a respectful line toward Dart.

“Jaxson is one of our leaders,” Carter said. “He’s the face of our franchise. He not only represents himself and what he does, but he represents all of us and that goes for anybody who wears a Giants uniform.

“But if he chooses to align himself with a man like President Trump, it’s my responsibility based on what I believe and what I stand on to not only show my teammates that I’m against that — but to show the world.”

Carter also drew a boundary around the message, saying it wasn’t about personal hatred or a lingering beef in the building.

“That doesn’t mean that we have to spread hate,” Carter said. “It doesn’t mean that me and Jaxson hate each other or we have beef. I sit next to Jaxson every day, every team meeting. We’re close. We talk. As long as we make sure we’ve got the same goal as a team and our goals align. which they do. then I feel like that’s all that matters.”.

New York Giants Jaxson Dart Abdul Carter Donald Trump Mike Lawler OTAs East Rutherford Suffern locker-room rift NFL Draft