Donald Trump and Nick Saban were reunited on the University of Alabama stage this week.
Their history goes back years.
And Nick Saban revealed one hilarious Donald Trump secret that left Alabama players stunned.
When legendary former Alabama football coach Nick Saban introduced President Donald Trump at the University of Alabama’s spring commencement ceremony on Thursday, he shared a story that had the graduates rolling with laughter.
The tale came from Alabama’s 2018 visit to the White House after winning the 2017 national championship – and it perfectly captures Trump’s unique personality and sense of humor.
As Saban told it, while in the Oval Office with President Trump, one of his players noticed something peculiar on the President’s desk.
“He’s got this very big, good-looking auspicious box on his desk that has a red button on top,” Saban recalled during his introduction of Trump.
Naturally, the Alabama football players were curious – and perhaps a bit concerned.
“One of the players said, ‘Is that what you launch the missiles with?'” Saban continued.
Trump, never missing an opportunity for a joke, saw his chance to have some fun with the nervous Crimson Tide players.
“He said, ‘Well, push it and find out,'” Saban said, drawing laughter from the crowd.
The player, later identified as linebacker Rashaan Evans, was understandably hesitant.
“The player said, ‘No I don’t want to do that,'” Saban recounted.
But Trump persisted with his playful dare.
“He says, ‘No, go ahead. Go ahead. Push it, see what happens, find out.'”
Finally, Evans worked up the courage to press the mysterious red button – perhaps while holding his breath and wondering if he was about to inadvertently start World War III.
What happened next?
“Some lady came in with a Coke on a tray,” Saban revealed, as the crowd erupted in laughter.
The red button, it turned out, wasn’t connected to America’s nuclear arsenal but was simply Trump’s way of ordering his favorite beverage – a Diet Coke.
Legendary coach Nick Saban introduces President @realDonaldTrump at the University of Alabama’s commencement, sharing a memorable story from the 2017 championship team’s White House visit. pic.twitter.com/oWF8oOFwbV
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) May 2, 2025
The humorous anecdote highlighted both Trump’s playful side and the memorable experience Alabama’s championship team had during their White House visit.
President Trump was on campus to deliver the commencement address to the University of Alabama’s spring 2025 graduating class.
And despite what the media elites might be saying, the crowd loved it.
Holy sh*t! 🚨
The media is wrong again, a massive “USA USA” chant breaks out for President Trump at the University of Alabama by graduates as he takes the stage to deliver their commencement address!pic.twitter.com/24AUnTRcEP
— Jay – MAGA Response (@MAGAresponse) May 2, 2025
During his speech, Trump praised the university’s athletic achievements, noting that “Alabama has changed college football forever.”
Trump also commended the university for its academic excellence, pointing out that the class of 2025 included “over 1,500 students graduating with red caps” signifying their 4.0 GPAs.
The President’s speech touched on numerous topics, from economic achievements to life lessons he’s learned throughout his career.
Trump shared several personal insights with the graduates, including the importance of momentum and loving what you do.
“I rarely see somebody that’s successful that doesn’t love what he or she does,” Trump told the graduates. “You you’re going to do something, you might as well think big because it’s just as tough. You can think small. I know a lot of people, they thought small. They’re very smart… it’s just as hard to solve a small problem as a big problem and it’s just as much energy and everything else except the result is going to be a smaller one.”
He also pointed to his administration’s achievements in the first 100 days.
“This week, we’re celebrating the most successful first one hundred days of any presidential administration in the history of our country,” Trump said. “In a matter of weeks, we’ve achieved the lowest number of illegal border crossings ever recorded.”
The President emphasized the role of tariffs in revitalizing manufacturing. “I said, you know, a number of times, tariff, it’s the most beautiful word in the world,” Trump remarked. “And I got absolutely decimated by the fake news. They said, what about love? What about your wife? What about your parents? What about religion and God? So I said, All right. It’s the fifth nicest word I’ve ever said.”
Trump closed with simple but powerful advice: “Never ever give up. Victory is right around the corner.”
The former coach’s story and Trump’s commencement address both resonated with the audience, making for a memorable graduation ceremony for the University of Alabama’s class of 2025.
