Trump accuses LeBron James of disrespecting US anthem
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Punch
US President Donald Trump accused LeBron James, the Philadelphia 76ers star, of disrespecting the national anthem before an NBA game. The basketball player dismissed the controversy with an ironic remark, according to Punch, after his team’s victory over Cleveland.
US President Donald Trump renewed his accusations on Thursday that NBA star LeBron James of the Philadelphia 76ers had shown disrespect for the national anthem. On his Truth Social network, he posted a video showing the basketball player performing warm-up movements before Tuesday’s season opener against the New York Knicks, presenting them as an affront to American patriotism, Punch reports.
The video, captioned “LeBron working on his golf swing before the game”, shows James making lateral movements and shooting gestures. Trump asked him to apologise to soldiers and American heroes who died for the flag, before calling the matter a “big scandal” at a rally in Iowa. James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, responded after the 76ers’ victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers (114-106): “It must be a slow day at the office.”
This latest exchange follows calls for LeBron James to apologise after the US anthem on 22 October. Donald Trump had previously targeted athletes, including NFL player Colin Kaepernick, who knelt during the anthem to protest racial injustice.
