Trump says LeBron James showed ‘disrespect’ during U.S. national anthem

U.S. President Donald Trump accused LeBron James of disrespecting the United States after the NBA star appeared to continue his warmups during a performance of the U.S. national anthem before Philadelphia’s season opener on Tuesday.

In a post on Truth Social on Thursday, Trump said, “While listening to our National Anthem, LeBron James disrespects our Country!”

“I said right from the beginning that he’s no good, a TOTAL DISGACE. 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,” Trump wrote in the post sharing the video from the game.

James appeared to practice a golf swing and jump shot as The Star-Spangled Banner was performed Tuesday at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

James, starting his first season with Philadelphia, was lined up alongside teammates who mostly stood still during the anthem.

Trump also spoke about James during a midterm rally in Sioux City, Iowa, on Thursday, saying, “And what about LeBron James? Did you see that deal?”

“During the national anthem, he’s practicing his golf swing. I said, ‘what the hell is that?’ No, it’s a big scandal kind of a story. What’s it all about? I don’t understand it,” Trump added.

James shrugged off the president’s criticism after the Philadelphia 76ers’ game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday.

“It must be a slow news day at the office,” James told reporters. “Slow news day at the office.”

This is not the first time Trump and James have criticized each other.

In 2018, Trump took a shot at James after the basketball star sat down with Don Lemon for an interview.

“Lebron James was just interviewed by the dumbest man on television, Don Lemon. He made Lebron look smart, which isn’t easy to do. I like Mike!” Trump wrote on X.

James spoke with Lemon to discuss an elementary school in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, which is a joint effort of the LeBron James Family Foundation and Akron Public Schools.

During the interview, James spoke of sports as something that unites people and said Trump was “using sports to kinda divide us.”

“Sports has never been something that divides people,” James said during his sit-down with Lemon. “It’s always been something that brings someone together.”

In 2017, James made a statement with his shoes — one black, one white, with the word “equality” in capital gold letters on the back of each.

Then, after the game, James made a statement about Trump, saying: “This is a beautiful country and we’re never going to let one person dictate how beautiful and how powerful we are.”

James had called Trump “a bum” on X and also said earlier that season of the president: “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. He doesn’t understand that, and that’s what makes me more sick than anything.”

—With files from The Associated Press