Wayne Rooney has shared his extraordinary encounters with former US President Donald Trump, which included visits to the Oval Office and an unusual round of golf. During his stint with DC United in Major League Soccer from July 2018 to January 2020, Rooney scored 25 goals in 52 appearances and found himself in some unexpected situations.
One of the most surreal experiences Rooney recounted was a golf game with Trump, former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, and the President’s security team. Speaking on the latest episode of “The Overlap,” a podcast brought to you by Sky Bet, Rooney, now the manager of Plymouth Argyle, described the bizarre scene: “The maddest thing about it was we had Giuliani in the buggy behind us, then there were about 50-100 golf buggies that were all security.” He added, “There was a boat in the lake with snipers, there were snipers in the bushes, and I was like, ‘What’s going on here?!'”
Rooney had previously met Trump when the President asked him to offer some soccer advice to his teenage son, Barron, who was a fan of the sport and had reportedly played for DC United’s youth team. Recounting the experience, Rooney said, “He asked me to give his son football lessons.” During this meeting, Barron took Rooney to the Oval Office, and shortly after, Trump’s personal assistant suggested playing a few holes of golf.
In December 2018, Rooney and his wife, Coleen, were invited as guests of honor to the White House Christmas party. The invitation included a guided tour of Trump’s private quarters, highlighting the close yet unconventional interactions Rooney had with the then-President.
Rooney’s former teammate, Gary Neville, who hosts “The Overlap,” humorously questioned whether Trump could understand Rooney’s Scouse accent, joking if it was the first time someone from Liverpool had been in the Oval Office.
