US President Donald Trump has accused basketball superstar LeBron James of disrespecting the United States after the player appeared to practise golf swings and basketball shots while the national anthem was performed before an NBA game.
James, who now plays for the Philadelphia 76ers, was seen making a golf-swing motion during the performance of The Star-Spangled Banner ahead of his team’s season-opening game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.
Trump criticised the player in a social media post, demanding that he apologise to American military personnel who died serving their country.
“LeBron James should apologize to all of those Great American Warriors and Heroes who died for the American Flag,” Trump wrote.
The president also described James as a “TOTAL DISGRACE” and said he had considered the basketball star no good from the beginning.
James has not publicly responded to the latest remarks. The BBC said it had contacted him through the 76ers and requested a comment from the team.
National anthem controversy draws political attention
The incident has reignited debate about the expectations surrounding the US national anthem at professional sporting events.
The anthem is traditionally played or performed before many major American sporting competitions. Players and spectators are generally expected to stand, where possible, and remain still during the performance.
Video of Wednesday’s ceremony showed James making movements resembling a golf swing while the anthem was being sung. Most of his teammates stood in line with little movement.
Trump’s criticism comes amid a long-running dispute between the president and the NBA star, who has frequently spoken out on political and social issues.
A history of disputes over the national anthem
Anthem-related protests have previously become major political flashpoints in American sport.
In 2016, former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick began sitting during the national anthem before later kneeling as a protest against racial injustice and police brutality.
Trump repeatedly criticised Kaepernick and later claimed credit for the player being unable to secure another NFL contract. Years afterwards, however, the president said Kaepernick should be given another opportunity to play professionally.
The latest dispute involving James has similarly placed sporting etiquette at the centre of a broader political debate about patriotism, protest and respect for the country.
Trump and LeBron James have a long-running feud
The president and the basketball star have exchanged criticism for years, dating back to the 2016 presidential election.
In 2018, Trump questioned James’s intelligence after the athlete said he would never sit across from him. James responded by accusing Trump of giving racists greater confidence to express their views publicly.
James has also criticised Trump’s rhetoric in connection with the January 2021 attack on the US Capitol, when a mob sought to prevent the certification of Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election. James had publicly endorsed Biden.
The president has continued to express his preference for other basketball players. In July, when asked to choose between James and Michael Jordan as the greatest player in NBA history, Trump said he preferred Jordan.
“I only like people that like me,” Trump said.
Trump’s latest comments add another chapter to the public disagreement between the president and one of America’s most prominent athletes, with James yet to respond to the demand for an apology.
