Trump says NBA star LeBron James disrespected US national anthem
US President Donald Trump criticised National Basketball Association (NBA) superstar LeBron James on Thursday for what he called disrespectful behaviour during the singing of the US national anthem at a recent NBA game.
US President Donald Trump criticised National Basketball Association (NBA) superstar LeBron James on Thursday for what he called disrespectful behaviour during the singing of the US national anthem at a recent NBA game.
Article outline
- What happened
- Why it matters
- The bottom line
"While listening to our National Anthem, LeBron James disrespects our Country, " Trump remarked in a Truth Social post accompanied by a video showing James moving his body during the anthem.
"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!"
Notably, the clip Trump shared indicated James standing in line with the members of the Philadelphia 76ers, swinging his arms in a warm-up-type stretch and performing basketball shooting movements.
For context, a representative for the 76ers did not immediately respond to a request from Al Jazeera for comment.
Trump has repeatedly criticised athletes for their behaviour during pre-game renditions of the US national anthem, notably beginning with NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick's kneeling protest in backing of racial justice.
Trump cancelled the planned White House visit of the Super Bowl champions Philadelphia Eagles in 2018 after the team disagreed with his call for players to stand during the anthem.
James became a leading voice in the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020 and has frequently backed progressive matters as he ascended to the top of the NBA's all-time scoring list.
Taken together, the developments around trump says NBA star LeBron James disrespected US national anthem point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.
