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President Donald Trump severely botches Tua Tagovailoa's name

by: Alex Byington07/31/25_AlexByington
News: College Football Playoff Champions-Alabama White House Visit
Apr 10, 2018; Washington, DC, USA; President Donald Trump (M) poses with Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban a(M-R) and members of the Crimson Tide a ceremony honoring the college football playoff champion Crimson Tide on the South Lawn at the White House. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Turns out even presidents have trouble pronouncing Tua Tagovailoa‘s Hawaiian last name.

During a Thursday afternoon press conference announcing the reinstatment of the defunct Presidential Fitness Test, President Donald Trump names the Miami Dolphins‘ quarterback among other NFL representatives to a newly-created council full of professional athletes to help with the endeavor.

“Saquon Barkley is on the council, and Tua Tagovailoa (pronounces it as tag-O-valiah), the quarterback who is … really he’s been fantastic, … when he’s not injured. He’s got to stay healthy,” Trump said in a clip posted to X/Twitter by @Acyn. “And he’s a great guy. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is on the commission, (along with) NHL commissioner Gary Bettman …”

Check out the full clip below:

Tagovailoa, whose surname is pronounced “tun-go-val-oa,” is a longtime supporter of the president, and even visited the White House in April 2018 when the 2017 national champion Alabama Crimson Tide were honored. The veteran Dolphins quarterback also been a frequent visitor to Trump’s home at Mar-a-Lago in South Florida the past several offseasons.

The Presidential Fitness Test, which was implemented in the 1950s until 2013 when it was replaced by the Presidential Youth Fitness Program before Thursday’s executive order, is a national fitness testing program conducted in U.S. public middle and high schools, with a focus on anthropometric measurments such as lung capacity and strength assessments.

President Donald Trump threatens government action if Washington Commanders don’t revert name

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump called for the NFL’s Washington Commanders and MLB’s Cleveland Guardians — previously known respectively as the Redskins and Indians — to revert to their former names. Trump doubled down on his demand later in the day, stating he might not allow the Commanders to build their new stadium in D.C. if they don’t adhere to his request.

“My statement on the Washington Redskins has totally blown up, but only in a very positive way,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I may put a restriction on them that if they don’t change the name back to the original ‘Washington Redskins,’ and get rid of the ridiculous moniker, ‘Washington Commanders,’ I won’t make a deal for them to build a Stadium in Washington. The Team would be much more valuable, and the Deal would be more exciting for everyone.

“Cleveland should do the same with the Cleveland Indians. The Owner of the Cleveland Baseball Team, Matt Dolan, who is very political, has lost three Elections in a row because of that ridiculous name change. What he doesn’t understand is that if he changed the name back to the Cleveland Indians, he might actually win an Election. Indians are being treated very unfairly. MAKE INDIANS GREAT AGAIN (MIGA)!”

Earlier this year, the Commanders announced their plans to build a new stadium for their team. The organization plans to build the stadium on the site of RFK Stadium, the team’s home venue from 1961 to 1996.

More specifically, the new stadium would be near the Anacostia River, along East Capitol Street in D.C.’s Hill East neighborhood. The projected is expected to cost $3.7 billion and begin construction in 2026. It is expected to be completed in 2030.

While the project hasn’t encountered too much friction until now, the plans are still pending approval by the D.C. Council, with legislation introduced on June 25. If Trump focuses his efforts against the Commanders, he could influence the plans’ approval.

— On3’s Grant Grubbs contributed to this report.