WVU Legend Pat McAfee Responds To Backlash Over Donald Trump Appearance On His Show

On Tuesday, WVU Sports Hall of Famer and current ESPN personality Pat McAfee went viral for welcoming President Donald Trump via phone call onto the Veterans Day edition of The Pat McAfee Show on ESPN and YouTube.

Trump remains a controversial and divisive figure among many Americans, so his presence on McAfee’s show quickly made the rounds across the internet. The reactions ranged wildly, from supporters of the President praising the move with others criticizing it – and many others simply not caring.

But for the significant backlash he faced from those upset with Trump’s appearance, McAfee responded soon after the segment was over, defending his choice to welcome the sitting President on his show.

“I would like to say, though, for the immediate people that are mad about that happening, it’s the President of the United States. It’s Veterans Day. He’s the Commander-in-Chief. Obviously, if we have the opportunity to talk to him, we’re going to. And he is hilarious,” McAfee said.

McAfee also said that he invited former President Barack Obama, known for his love of sports, onto the show as well. However, a scheduling conflict prevented Obama from appearing as well. 

During Trump’s appearance, he told McAfee “I’m only joining you because I hear you say such nice things about me” and that he typically “takes a pass” when people don’t speak nicely of him – which is something that McAfee and Trump bonded over, as McAfee agreed on it being a good outlook towards life. Trump then discussed a variety of sporting events on the show, covering everything from the NFL kickoff system to the Ryder Cup.