Trump Calls for WNBA Boycott, Slams LeBron James Over National Anthem
President Donald Trump is taking aim at professional basketball, calling on Americans to boycott the WNBA and blasting NBA star LeBron James over how both have handled the national anthem.
The comments came within days of each other this week, reviving a familiar fight over athletes, patriotism and the "Star-Spangled Banner."
Trump Calls for a WNBA Boycott
At a midterm campaign rally in Sioux City, Iowa, on Thursday, Trump urged fans to stop watching women's professional basketball after players left the court before the national anthem during the WNBA Finals.
"They leave the court when the national anthem's playing. What's that all about?" Trump said, according to Newsweek.
He pointed to the NFL's anthem protests during his first term, saying the kneeling "stopped because people stopped watching the games," and encouraged fans to do the same with the WNBA.
The Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries have left the court before the anthem in every game of the Finals so far. The Valkyries say the locker room break has been part of their pregame routine since they joined the league last year, while the Dream have done the same for several years.
Vance Joins the Criticism
Vice President JD Vance also criticized the players, calling their actions "disgraceful" in an interview with Raymond Arroyo. He said the athletes "have a lot to be grateful to the United States for" and should not criticize a politician by "disrespecting the country writ large."
Leaving the court before the anthem is not new for the league. Teams began doing it in 2020, when the WNBA season was dedicated to Breonna Taylor, and many have continued the practice since. The league's rulebook says players should stand in a dignified posture during the anthem, but it is unclear whether that applies to teams that are off the court. The league also suspended those protocols in late 2017, saying players did not have to follow them. For at least six seasons, it has been common for teams to head to the locker room with about 10 minutes left in warmups.
Trump Slams LeBron James
Trump also went after James, who made his debut with the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday in a season opener against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Video from before the game showed James appearing to practice his golf swing and shooting motion while the anthem played.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, "While listening to our National Anthem, LeBron James disrespects our Country," Al Jazeera reported. He added, "I said right from the beginning that he's no good, a TOTAL DISGRACE," and said James should apologize to "Great American Warriors and Heroes."
James brushed off the criticism. "It must be a slow news day at the office," he said.
The 41-year-old, who is entering his record 24th NBA season, has long been a critic of Trump and has spoken out on racial justice, voting rights and education, ABC 33/40 reported. In July, Trump suggested James might be "a racist" while explaining why he considers Michael Jordan the greatest player of all time.
A Long-Running Feud
Trump has clashed with athletes over the anthem for years. During his first term, he repeatedly criticized former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick for kneeling during the anthem, and in 2017 he took credit when Kaepernick failed to land a new team. In 2018, he canceled the Philadelphia Eagles' planned White House visit after the team disagreed with his call for players to stand.
Trump's post came the same day James played his first home game in Philadelphia, against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team that drafted him.
The White House, the WNBA and both Finals teams did not immediately respond to Newsweek's requests for comment.
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