‘As a Giants fan, I was repulsed’: Jaxson Dart draws backlash from Joy Reid over Trump introduction in New York

Jaxson Dart didn’t just lead a “Go Big Blue” chant at a political event. He set off a week’s worth of public debate that landed on the desk of a former cable news host with a podcast and a point to make.

The New York Giants’ first-year starting quarterback introduced President Donald Trump at a “Fighting for American Workers” event at Rockland Community College in Suffern, N.Y., on May 22, telling the crowd he was “honored” and “pleasured” to be on stage.

>Joy Reid, the former MSNBC host who was let go from the network in Feb 2025, addressed the moment on the MeidasTouch podcast “On Sunday with Jack Cocchiarella.”

Apr 25, 2025; East Rutherford, NJ, US; New York Giants first round draft picks, Abdul Carter and Jaxson Dart pose for photos prior to the start of the press conference. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Salus-Imagn Images“As somebody who grew up as a Giants fan, I was repulsed by Jaxson Dart,” Reid said. She called Dart an “idiot,” questioned his word choice, and declared herself a “former” fan. “Donald Trump is not an American president,” she added. “Donald Trump is not a normal president. Donald Trump is a wannabe king.”

Why the Dart situation became an internal issue inside the Giants locker room tooReid’s reaction drew coverage, but the more consequential response came from inside the building. Giants outside linebacker Abdul Carter initially responded on X suggesting the video looked like AI-generated content, a public pushback that had NFL observers watching.

𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚: Former MSNBC host Joy Reid goes OFF on Jaxson Dart and says she is no longer a Giants fan after he introduced President Trump.

>“As someone who grew up as a Giants fan, I was repulsed by Dart. He’s an idiot. Donald Trump is not an American President.”

>😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫 pic.twitter.com/epp03PyfHn

>— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) June 2, 2026

>

Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart at a rally for Mike Lawler and President Trump in the fieldhouse at Rockland Community College May 22, 2026.The situation didn’t escalate, the two reportedly spoke privately to resolve it, and hugged at practice. Carter addressed the media after. “Some things are bigger than football,” Carter said. “Jaxson is one of our leaders. He’s the face of our franchise.”

Dart also spoke, He acknowledged that politics is “a sensitive matter” and that being the Giants’ starting quarterback carries responsibility. Trump, for his part, raved about Dart’s physical build, describing his legs as “tree trunks.”

>Reid’s declaration that she is no longer a Giants fan drew its own scrutiny. OutKick’s Clay Travis noted there was approximately “zero percent chance she could answer basic questions on Giants fandom.”

>And Sports Fountain weighed in directly on X: “The most dangerous form of blindness is believing that your perspective is the only reality… can sport just be without political involvement?”

As it is, the question isn’t rhetorical anymore. Dart still has a season to play. Reid still has a podcast. Neither side appears to be moving.

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