White House Photo of Georgia Women's Tennis Team Sparks Backlash Over Positioning
Trump and male coaches positioned in front of female athletes, drawing comparisons to past incidents of men dominating women's event photos
Quick Look
- A White House photo featuring the University of Georgia women's tennis team has drawn backlash after Donald Trump and five male coaches/staff members were positioned in front of the 11 female athletes.
- Press aide Margo Martin shared the image showing the men in the front row on a stage while the championship team stood on a riser behind them.
- In a video from the same event, Trump shakes hands with the five men but not the women.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The University of Georgia women's tennis team won the NCAA championship in May 2025. Several collegiate championship teams were invited to the White House on Tuesday. The controversy echoes a 2017 incident where Trump was photographed signing an anti-abortion bill surrounded by eight male staffers in the Oval Office.
A White House photo celebrating a champion women's sports team has drawn backlash due to the positioning of Donald Trump and a group of men, who overshadowed the female athletes by lining up in front of them. The University of Georgia women's tennis team was one of several collegiate teams to visit the White House on Tuesday to mark a recent championship win. In a photo shared by press aide Margo Martin, Donald Trump and five Georgia staffers and coaches took up the front row of a stage setup, with 11 women standing in the background on a riser. The men standing alongside Trump were, from left to right: Georgia deputy athletic director Ford Williams, athletic director Josh Brooks, head coach Drake Bernstein, associate head coach Jarryd Chaplin and assistant coach Will Reynolds. "A photo is worth a thousand words …" former tennis star Martina Navratilova wrote on X. "Who approved this photo?" one commenter wrote. "Me when I definitely respect women's sports teams: what if we put them behind us so you can barely see them," another said. In a video shared by Martin, Trump approaches the group and shakes the hands of the five men, but does not do the same to the women. The Georgia team shared the photo on its official account later in the day, with the caption: "An honor to represent the University of Georgia at the White House today! @realDonaldTrump thanks for having us out!" The image drew comparisons to previous instances in which men have dominated photos at events focused on women's issues. In 2017, a photo of Trump signing an anti-abortion bill surrounded by eight male staffers in the Oval Office was met with outrage. Georgia won the NCAA women's tennis championship last May.
Open Questions
- Who approved the photo arrangement?
- Was the positioning intentional?
- Did the White House or University of Georgia intend for the men to stand in front?
