NCAA basketball champion Florida Gators visit Trump at White House

President Donald Trump, accompanied by coach Todd Golden, hosted the University of Florida Gators, the 2025 NCAA men’s college basketball champions, at the White House in Washington on Wednesday. Attorney General Pam Bondi, an alumna of the University of Florida, was also present. The event was captured in a photo by Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA-EFE.

In Washington on May 21, President Donald Trump welcomed the University of Florida men’s basketball team to the White House to honor their 2025 NCAA championship victory. Trump commended the Gators for their teamwork, determination, and resilience. He praised the program’s historic achievement as the only NCAA Division I school to win three national titles in basketball (2006, 2007, 2025) and football (1996, 2006, 2008).

The Gators concluded their remarkable 36-4 season with a thrilling 65-63 win over Houston, described by Trump as one of the most exhilarating games and championships he had witnessed. Trump lauded the team for their perseverance and highlighted standout performances, including senior guard Walter Clayton Jr.’s impressive scoring in key games.

University of Florida Interim President Kent Fuchs, former Florida Senator Marco Rubio, and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, a former Florida attorney general, were also in attendance. Coach Golden expressed gratitude for the invitation and drew parallels between the team’s values and the nation’s principles, describing both as meritocracies that reward hard work and teamwork.

Golden presented Trump with a signed Gators jersey bearing the number 47, symbolizing Trump’s presidency. Trump accepted the gift and invited the team to the Oval Office for photos and commemorative coins alongside members of his administration and lawmakers, concluding with a cheer for the Gators.