Ravens' John Harbaugh on White House visit with Trump: 'I root for our president'

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh described his recent visit with President Donald Trump as simply another great opportunity to meet a chief executive.

Harbaugh and several family members — including his brother, Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh — were invited to the White House earlier this month. John Harbaugh talked about the trip after practice Wednesday.

In 2019, while lashing out at U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, Trump tweeted that the Democrat’s Baltimore district was a “disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess” where “no human being would want to live.” Harbaugh was asked about the decision to visit the White House in light of some of Trump’s comments about the Ravens’ home city.

“How you framed that question — I would have 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, and it was an amazing experience.”

John Harbaugh conceded Jim Harbaugh has met more presidents than him.

“He’s got seven, I got four. I had a chance to meet President Obama twice — incredible experience. Had a chance to meet President Biden when he was vice president in Iraq, and spent a lot of time with him in Iraq,” he said. “Jim got invited also to the White House to meet President Reagan because he was a Heisman Trophy candidate. We got to go as a family, so I met President Reagan — have a picture in my office of that.”