Ravens coach John Harbaugh, along with his brother, Jim, recently visited President Trump in the Oval Office. During Harbaugh’s first media availability since it happened, he was asked about it.
He didn’t like the question.
Via Sarah Ellison of the Ravens Vault podcast, a reported questioned Harbaugh on Trump’s past “denigrating” comments about Baltimore. Harbaugh didn’t appreciate the framing of the question.
“Why would you frame the question — I would’ve framed that question like, ‘You got a chance to go visit with the president, man. What was that experience like?’” Harbaugh said. “It was amazing. It was awesome. And I promise you, I root for our president. I want our president to be successful just like I want my quarterback to be successful and I want my team to be successful.
“It was an amazing experience. It’s not often you get invited to do something like that as a family. We were there, my daughter was there, Jim’s daughters were there. My mom and dad were there. My mom and President Trump — just seeing how he treated her was really meaningful. That’s the fourth president [I’ve met]. Jim has met seven presidents so he’s got the lead on me. . . . I had the chance to meet President Obama twice. Incredible experience. Had a chance to meet President Biden, when he was vice president, in Iraq. I spent a lot of time with him in Iraq, which was amazing. Those are moments that I definitely cherish and it means a lot.”
In 2019, Trump called Baltimore a “disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess” where “no human being would want to live.” And it was absolutely fair for a reporter to ask the man who coaches the NFL team that calls Baltimore its home for his thoughts on those comments.
It was Harbaugh’s prerogative to bristle at the question and not answer it. But it was absolutely a fair question. Anyone who calls Baltimore home rightfully should have been offended by the remark.
