New York Giants rookie pass rusher Abdul Carter thought he was drawing a line in the sand when he publicly criticized teammate Jaxson Dart for introducing President Trump at a recent event. But now, the spotlight has turned back on Carter himself, and fans are calling out what they see as a glaring double standard.
It all started when Dart appeared alongside Trump, drawing swift backlash from some Giants fans and even a public rebuke from Carter. However, as social media users quickly pointed out, Carter's own hero worship may be at odds with his stance. The rookie had previously asked the Giants to un-retire Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor's No. 56 jersey so he could wear it—a request the team denied. The problem? Taylor is a vocal Trump supporter.
“Abdul Carter idolizes Lawrence Taylor so much he begged to wear his retired #56 with the Giants. Whatever you do, don’t show him this video of LT praising President Trump,” wrote Alec Lace on X, sharing a clip of Taylor endorsing Trump. The post ignited a firestorm, with fans questioning how Carter could blast Dart while idolizing someone with the same political leanings.
One user on X remarked, “Giants legend Lawrence Taylor meets Trump and Abdul Carter was begging him for his jersey number. Jaxson Dart meets Trump and Abdul Carter goes nuts. Why such totally different reactions from Carter? I think it’s obvious.” Others piled on, with comments like, “Abdul Carter idolizes Lawrence Taylor. Does he know Lawrence Taylor is a Trump supporter? Maybe he should delete his whole X account,” and “Hey Abdul Carter, check this out! Lawrence Taylor loves President Trump!”
The situation has put Carter in an awkward position, especially after he doubled down on his criticism of Dart. But the drama may have already cooled. Carter later took to X to announce that he and Dart had spoken and patched things up. According to Carter's statement, the two are on good terms and expect normal relations by the start of the season.
Still, the hypocrisy accusations linger. For a player who modeled his game after Taylor—a legend known for his ferocity on the field and his political affiliations off it—Carter's selective outrage has raised eyebrows. It also echoes the recent locker room drama that Giants tackle Eluemunor shut down, suggesting the team is trying to move past the controversy.
At the end of the day, the Giants aren't going to trade either player over a political spat. Carter and Dart will have to coexist in the same locker room, and training camp is bound to bring some awkward questions. But by Week 1, the focus will be back on football—assuming Carter can handle the heat he's brought on himself.
