New York Giants rookie Abdul Carter is facing major backlash after publicly criticizing his own teammate, quarterback Jaxson Dart, for appearing alongside President Donald Trump at a New York rally Friday night.
The controversy erupted after Dart briefly joined Trump onstage during an event supporting Rep. Mike Lawler. Video clips quickly spread across social media showing the rookie quarterback standing beside the president before introducing him to the crowd.
Trump responded by praising Dart as a future “Hall of Famer,” while the quarterback himself kept his remarks short and non-political, even leading the audience in a chant supporting the Giants.
But not everyone inside the Giants organization appeared thrilled about the moment.
Shortly after the clips went viral, Carter posted a blunt reaction on X: “thought this sh!t was AI, what we doing man.”
That single post immediately ignited a firestorm online.
Conservative fans, NFL followers, and Trump supporters flooded social media accusing Carter of attacking his teammate simply for appearing with the president. Many also pointed out that support for Trump is hardly uncommon inside professional football circles, particularly among coaches, owners, and players.
One user fired back directly at Carter by writing, “If your QB wants to support the President, he’s allowed to. Your head coach is a huge Trump fan also, and so is more than half the league.”
Another commenter warned Carter that publicly targeting the team’s quarterback might not be the smartest career move for a rookie defender still trying to establish himself in New York.
“lol you’re about to find out that he’s the franchise and you’re not bud,” the user wrote.
Other responses became far more personal and hostile, with some critics dredging up Carter’s previous legal controversy involving an alleged altercation with a tow truck driver during his college years at Penn State. Several commenters also referenced Carter’s Muslim faith, which became widely discussed after he appeared at the NFL Draft wearing traditional Islamic clothing.
At the time, Carter explained the attire by saying he was honoring his faith and “paying homage to what got me here.”
“Just praying to God, praying to Allah,” Carter said during draft week. “That’s what got me here.”
Now, however, the football conversation surrounding Carter has shifted sharply away from sacks and draft potential and toward politics and locker room dynamics.
