President Donald Trump issued a sharp rebuke of Philadelphia 76ers forward LeBron James on Thursday, accusing the NBA star of disrespecting the nation during the playing of the national anthem at his team debut earlier this week.
The president posted criticism on social media alongside a video showing James performing what appeared to be stretching exercises during the anthem before Tuesday’s game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. The footage, which included overlaid text suggesting James was “working on his golf swing,” showed the athlete conducting arm stretches before transitioning into what resembled a basketball shooting motion.
“While listening to our National Anthem, LeBron James disrespects our Country,” Trump wrote. “I said right from the beginning that he’s no good, a TOTAL DISGRACE. LeBron James should apologize to all of those Great American Warriors and Heroes who died for the American Flag, and all that our Country stands for.”
The incident represents the latest chapter in a years-long pattern of public disagreement between the president and the four-time NBA champion. During his first administration, Trump questioned James’s intelligence following a television interview. More recently, in July, the president speculated that James might hold racist views after the athlete signed with the 76ers.
“I think LeBron is, maybe he’s a racist, but maybe he doesn’t like Trump, I don’t know,” Trump said when asked to compare James with basketball legend Michael Jordan. “I only like people who like me, so I would say Michael Jordan all the way.”
James has not yet responded to the president’s latest statements, and representatives for the athlete declined to provide comment when contacted Thursday.
The relationship between Trump and James has been contentious for several years. In 2017, after Trump rescinded a White House invitation to the Golden State Warriors, James offered pointed criticism of the then-president’s leadership style.
“He doesn’t understand how many kids, no matter the race, look up to the president of the United States for guidance, for leadership, for words of encouragement,” James told reporters at the time. “He doesn’t understand that, and that’s what makes me more sick than anything.”
James added, “This is a beautiful country and we’re never going to let one person dictate how beautiful and how powerful we are.”
The controversy surrounding conduct during the national anthem remains a sensitive issue in professional sports, particularly since former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick began kneeling during the anthem in 2016 to protest racial injustice. The debate has consistently divided Americans along political and cultural lines, with many viewing such conduct as disrespectful to military service members and the nation itself.
James scored 14 points in his 76ers debut as Philadelphia defeated the defending NBA champion Knicks 106-100 on Tuesday. He is scheduled to make his home debut for Philadelphia against his former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, on Thursday night.
The facts of what occurred during the anthem, the reasons for James’s movements, and whether they constituted intentional disrespect remain matters of interpretation and debate.
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