Online journalists and political analysts are blaming President Donald Trump for a New York quarterback's injury that turns out to be worse than anticipated.
On Tuesday, online commentary reacted to news that New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart, the 23-year-old expected to help the team bounce back from a bad season, will be out for a while with a knee injury. The reaction immediately turned to Trump's supposed effect on New York athletes and teams.
Dart left early in the Giants' Monday night game against the Los Angeles Rams, which they ultimately lost 28-6. During the game, Dart stayed on the sideline as Giants GM Joe Schoen told ESPN's Laura Rutledge that Dart is "going to be OK," and initial exams pointed to a sprained MCL. On Tuesday, sports journalist Ian Rapoport reported via a post on X that Dart will be out for "an extended period of time, possibly the season" after an MRI revealed his injury "was worse than anticipated."
Online sleuths dug up images and footage of Trump shaking hands with Dart in May, when Dart introduced Trump at a New York rally for Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY). The connection reminded Trump critics of the "Trump curse." The curse also came into play when Trump attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals, the first home game of the series for the New York Knicks, and critics blamed him for their loss that night, which snapped the team's 13-game winning streak.
"The f-- Trump curse strikes again. Smh," wrote former GOP political strategist Tara Setmayer in a post on X. "The fricken Trump curse continues," she wrote in another post.
"Everything he touches, y'all," film and TV critic John Rocha warned in a post featuring an image of Trump patting Dart on the shoulder. "Everything he touches."
"Oof," reacted MeidasTouch Capitol Hill correspondent Scott MacFarlane in a post, noting that Dart appeared with Trump on May 22 and news of the injury broke on September 22. "Jaxson Dart was jinxed four months ago today."
"The Trump Curse needs to be studied," wrote the account for MeidasTouch, a political news network.
"This was the moment I decided not to draft Dart in fantasy football," joked Ron Filipkowski, the editor-in-chief of MeidasTouch, in a post featuring a clip of Dart appearing with Trump. "He had no chance this season after the Trump Curse."