President Trump hosted the 2025 NCAA Men’s basketball championship team at the White House on Tuesday. The University of Florida Gators won the national title when they defeated Houston in the tournament’s final round in April.
Trump entered the event with Florida coach Todd Golden. “I just met your coach, and now I see why you won,” Trump joked with the team members. He congratulated the team on their victory and praised Golden for his coaching skills and ability to inspire his players. “Oh, would I like to be his agent?” Trump said.
During his remarks, Trump also pointed out the prominent members of his administration who are from Florida and support the team, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Trump highlighted the school’s achievements, including the win marking the third national victory in program history.
“The 2025 University of Florida basketball team was one for the history books,” Trump said. “You brought home the third national title in program history and made Florida the only Division 1 program ever to win three national titles in both basketball and football. That’s not bad.”
Trump congratulated the team for their strong record throughout the season. “The team was hot from the very beginning, starting off the year with a 13-game winning streak and roaring to a 27-4 record in the regular season against really, really good competition, including two wins over number one ranked opponents,” Trump said.
As Trump recapped the championship game, he asked Golden if he thought his team would win when they fell behind by one point in the final seconds. “I did,” Golden said.
“That’s what he gets paid for,” Trump joked. “This guy’s good.”
Golden praised his team’s dedication and hard work, which led to their victory. He thanked President Trump for the invitation and presented him with an autographed team basketball as a token of the team’s appreciation.
