Donald Trump held a midterm political rally in Youngstown, Ohio on Monday. While it had nothing to do with the WNBA’s Sophie Cunningham, it ironically had a lot to do with her. Was that statement confusing? Well, in that case, Trump’s mention of Cunningham will leave you scratching your head.
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“We like Sophie Cunningham,” said Trump during his speech, leading to a round of applause from the crowd. “I like Sophie. You’d have a lot of men wanting to go and watch her. She’s beautiful. You’re not allowed to say that anymore. There’s apologies, ‘Please, please, let me take it back.’
“Anytime a politician says a woman is beautiful, that is generally the end of his career in the modern-day politic world. But Sophie is a beautiful, young woman. You probably wouldn’t mind her on the team, not to help you with points, but to help you with attendance. The attendance would be quite good.”
Trump suggesting ‘MAGA Barbie’ draws crowds because of her looks and not her skills might not be well received by many, especially considering the current environment.
After all, it was only recently that The Athletic‘s article described her as “too combustible” and “turbulent” when paired with Caitlin Clark. The article encouraged the Indiana Fever to part ways with Cunningham in the 2027 free agency, and it goes without saying that the player was not happy with that.
Trump’s back-handed compliment could also negatively affect her in the free-agent market.
And though President Trump’s statements were about Sophie Cunningham’s appearance, the 6’1 Fever Guard has been a reliable bench option for coach Stephanie White when the starters need a breather or when the team needs to score quick points. Cunningham is known for her quick, clutch three-point scoring, shooting an efficient 41.9% from beyond the arc this season.
She has also acted as the on-court physical enforcer for the Fever, often stepping in to push back against overly aggressive play from rivals, especially towards the franchise star Caitlin Clark.
The Fever, along with Sophie Cunningham, were eliminated from playoff contention by the Las Vegas Aces in Round 1 in a 2-1 series where Cunningham averaged 7.3 PPG, the fourth-highest on the team after the Big Three: Kelsey Mitchell, Clark, and Boston.
That said, it is true that she often finds herself in heated online discourses.
Sophie Cunningham has been the name on everyone’s lips all WNBA season, but that has been more because of her strong opinions. Her stance on trans women in women’s sports dominated WNBA headlines across the months of July and August, following which her on-court altercations with the Chicago Sky’s DiJonai Carrington took center stage.
Cunningham also received some backlash when she admitted that she was not watching the 2026 FIBA World Cup final, a game in which two of her Fever teammates, Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston, brought home gold for Team USA.
Another instance was when she indirectly asked A’ja Wilson to “grow up” after the Las Vegas Aces star’s heated interaction with a Fever fan during Game 2 of the Fever-Aces playoff series at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
In a season when there has been no shortage of criticism for Cunningham, President Trump’s comments seem to add to it all.
Trump’s casual comments on the player to social media fans sharing their opinions about Sophie Cunningham and her subpar stats this season.
Fans expect more from Cunningham
There are aspects of Sophie Cunningham’s game that could use a significant boost, as this season has been particularly bad for her statistically.
Cunningham averaged 7.9 points per game, to go with 2.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.1 blocks in the 2026 regular season. Each of these stats is the lowest since Cunningham’s 2021 season with the Phoenix Mercury.
Hence, fans wrote on social media:
“He roasted her lol without trying. Don’t have to score any points lol.”
“Absolutely cooked her unintentionally.”
Cunningham’s future in Indiana remains uncertain as of now. After all, the Fever also needs to secure a new deal for Kelsey Mitchell, a more pressing free-agent priority. However, with Trump mentioning her in his speech, her stock could receive a significant lift.
Regardless, fans wrote:
“Even he knows she isn’t very good.”
“Not to help with points’. Lmao even Trump knows she’s bunz on the court.”
Where Cunningham plays next season will depend on how the Fever approach the offseason, leaving open the possibility that she could stay in Indiana or look elsewhere in the WNBA. But any team weighing her future will still have to consider the value of her perimeter shooting and the experience she brings.
Finally, one fan summarised the general opinion formed after the President’s comments: “He basically said she’s only bringing an audience because of her looks and not her stats.”
Well, only time will tell whether the Fever values her enough.