Brooke Rollins, who serves as Donald Trump’s Secretary of Agriculture, recently shared her admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo after an unexpected encounter with the soccer icon at the White House. Initially, Rollins was uncertain about the identity of the famous athlete.

Ronaldo, now 40, visited Washington DC as part of a delegation from Saudi Arabia, accompanied by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. This visit marked Ronaldo’s first public appearance in the U.S. since facing a 2017 accusation of rape, which he has consistently denied.

The legendary player, known for his time with Manchester United and Real Madrid, was invited to the White House by President Trump. During a lavish dinner hosted by the President, Ronaldo and his fiancée, Georgina Rodriguez, were seated next to Rollins.

Rollins expressed her excitement on social media, saying, “Still processing this one… Mark and I felt incredibly honored to attend and welcome so many wonderful friends from around the globe.”

She recounted her initial confusion upon seeing the name card labeled “Mr. Ronaldo” next to her seat, wondering who it could be.

Ronaldo pictured alongside the Secretary of Agriculture in Washington DC this week

Ronaldo’s visit to meet the President was his first public appearance in the US in years

“A few minutes later, a tall man with a radiant smile joined us. To the embarrassment of my children, I didn’t immediately recognize him (‘GEEZ MOM, HE HAS MORE INSTA FOLLOWERS THAN ANYONE IN THE WORLD!!’). But in no time, we became FAST friends, undoubtedly making our table the most fun!” she added.

Rollins continued: ‘Cristiano and Georgina, THANK YOU for the laughs, shared love and patriotism for our home countries, and for making a beautiful night even more perfect. 

‘Their kindness, humility, and light filled the room. Nothing better than making new friends. What a blessing! (But I stand by my assertion that American “football” is still the best!!)

‘So grateful to be part of this game changing team at this moment in history. God bless America!!!’

Ronaldo’s ongoing absence from the United States had coincided with the rape allegations. Since the claims were made by American teacher Kathryn Mayorga, Ronaldo had not been involved in any exhibition games held in the US involving the teams he has played for – Real Madrid, Juventues, Manchester United and his current one, the Saudi club Al Nassr.

The matter was thrown back into the spotlight last Sunday when Portugal clinched qualification for next summer’s World Cup, where the majority of the tournament is held in the United States. Ronaldo and his Portugal team are also scheduled to play the United States in Atlanta next March in a friendly. 

Revealing details of the alleged sexual assault in a 2017 interview with German newspaper Der Spiegel, Mayorga claimed Ronaldo raped her at a Las Vegas hotel in 2009.

The American woman had reportedly reached an out-of-court settlement with Ronaldo in 2010, but spoke out with her accusations seven years later in an effort to seek millions more than the $375,000 (£304,000) sum she had received.

Donald Trump gifted Cristiano Ronaldo a key to the White House during his visit to DC

The lawsuit against Ronaldo, who has consistently and strongly denied the allegations, was dismissed by a US judge in 2022 because the accuser’s lawyer relied on leaked and stolen records.

Trump thanked Ronaldo for meeting his teenage soccer-obsessed son Barron on the visit, saying during his speech: ‘My son is a big fan of Ronaldo… Barron got to meet him and I think he respects his father a little bit more now – just the fact that I introduced you. So I just want to thank you both for being here.’

After his visit, Ronaldo thanked Trump for hosting him with a message on Instagram:  ‘Thank you Mr. President for your invitation and for the warm welcome you and the First Lady gave me and my future wife. 

‘Each of us has something meaningful to give, and I stand ready to do my part as we inspire new generations to build a future defined by courage, responsibility and lasting peace.’

Trump also gifted Ronaldo a gold key to the White House, something reserved for special guests. Previous recipients include Bibi Netanyahu, the Israeli PM, and Elon Musk.