Trump goes nuclear on LeBron James and demands apology for disrespecting national anthem
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump has turned a viral video of LeBron James moving during the US national anthem into a fresh public clash with the basketball superstar, demanding that the athlete apologize to American military personnel who lost their lives serving the country.
The president attacked James in a Truth Social post on Thursday, October 22, after footage from a New York basketball game spread online.
While listening to our National Anthem, LeBron James disrespects our Country! I said right from the beginning that he’s no good, a TOTAL DISGRACE. 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! President DONALD J. TRUMP ( TS: Oct 22 2026, 12:22 PM ET )
— Commentary Donald J. Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) October 22, 2026
Trump demands apology from LeBron James
The controversy began with footage captured before tip-off of the Philadelphia 76ers season opener against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.
As the national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner," was being performed, James appeared to mimic a golf swing before making movements resembling basketball shots while standing on the court alongside fellow players.
The video soon circulated online, drawing attention to James’s behavior during the patriotic ceremony.
While James continued making the gestures, the teammates standing near him appeared to stay largely motionless as the anthem played.
President Trump addressed the incident two days later, interpreting James’s actions as a slight against the United States and those who had died defending it.
The president took aim at the basketball star in a Truth Social post, writing, “While listening to our National Anthem, LeBron James disrespects our Country!”
Trump escalated his criticism by branding James a “total disgrace” and arguing that he owed an apology to American military personnel who lost their lives serving the nation.
He specifically called on the athlete to apologize to fallen service members who fought under the American flag.
“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.
A long-running public feud
The public dispute between President Trump and LeBron James stretches back several years, with disagreements spanning basketball and politics.
Their tensions became visible in September 2017, when Trump rescinded the Golden State Warriors’ invitation to the White House after Stephen Curry expressed doubts about attending.
James sided with Curry, arguing that a White House visit had been an honor before Trump took office.
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!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 4, 2018
The exchange grew more pointed the following year.
During an interview with CNN’s Don Lemon, James accused Trump of using sports to deepen divisions among Americans instead of bringing them together.
Trump responded by taking a swipe at James’s intelligence and writing, “I like Mike!” in a nod to basketball legend Michael Jordan.
James also criticized Trump’s rhetoric, arguing that it contributed to an environment where people with extremist views felt increasingly emboldened to express themselves in public.
Their differences resurfaced after the January 6, 2021, assault on the US Capitol.
James condemned the violence and questioned whether the rioters would have received the same treatment had they been Black.
Having backed former President Joe Biden in the election, James was also publicly aligned with the candidate Trump had lost to, adding another dimension to their long-running dispute.
