President Trump celebrated the title-winning Louisiana State University football team by toasting its colorful coach and predicting that its star players are in for a big payday in the pros.
“You guys are gonna make so much money,” Mr. Trump said to laughter in the White House East Room.
The president also invited the team into the Oval Office, saying it’s been a special sanctuary for “a lot of presidents — some good, some not so good.”
“But you’ve got a good one now, even though they are trying to impeach the son of a b—-h,” he quipped.
LSU capped a perfect season by defeating Clemson, 42-25, in the championship game in New Orleans on Monday. Mr. Trump attended the game and received raucous cheers from the crowd, a public boost as he faces an impeachment trial and 2020 reelection bid.
The president marveled over LSU’s rough schedule in the Southeastern Conference and march to the title, which included match-ups with recent national champions like the University of Alabama.
Mr. Trump also had a bit of fun with head coach Ed Orgeron, whose folksy manner and gruff voice won him lots of fans.
“He’s a big, strong-looking guy. I didn’t know if he had laryngitis,” Mr. Trump said of the coach’s signature voice. “You may be the most beloved coach in all the land.
Mr. Orgeron deflected praise to his players, staff and family.
“Go Tigers!” he said from the lectern.
Mr. Trump praised Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow as a tremendous athlete and even better person for highlighting the needs of his community back in Ohio, a swing state that rallied behind Mr. Trump in 2016.
“Oh, he’s going to be so rich,” Mr. Trump said. “We call him young Tom Brady.”
Mr. Burrow gave the president a “Trump 45” jersey, prompting Mr. Trump to joke he thought he was getting the Heisman Trophy.
The president also gave a shoutout to Louisianan allies who joined the festivities.
“There’s one I have to — hello Bill, your senator,” Mr. Trump told Sen. Bill Cassidy, Louisiana Republican who will sit as a juror in Mr. Trump’s impeachment trial.
He also hailed House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, an LSU alumnus, for having “a lot of guts” after the baseball-field shooting in 2017 that nearly took his life.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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