A White House photo celebrating a champion women's sports team has drawn backlash after Donald Trump and a group of male staffers lined up in front of the female athletes, obscuring them from view.
The University of Georgia women's tennis team visited the White House on Tuesday to mark their NCAA championship win. In an image shared by press aide Margo Martin, Trump and five Georgia officials—including the athletic director and head coach—stood in the front row, while 11 women stood on a riser behind them. Former tennis star Martina Navratilova commented on social media: 'A photo is worth a thousand words …'
Critics noted that in a video of the event, Trump shook hands with each of the five men but did not do so with the women. The Georgia team later shared the photo on its official account, calling it 'an honour to represent the University of Georgia at the White House.’
The incident drew comparisons to previous occasions where men dominated photos at events focused on women. In 2017, a photo of Trump signing an anti-abortion bill surrounded by eight male staffers provoked outrage. More recently, Trump has faced accusations of running a 'misogynistic administration' after the departures of three women from his cabinet, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Attorney General Pam Bondi, both replaced by men.
