LeBron James Blasts President's Anthem Criticism: 'Slow News Day'

Hours after former President Donald Trump publicly criticized him for his conduct during the national anthem, LeBron James issued a brief response on Thursday night, remarking, "It's a slow news day at the office, you know. Slow news day in the office." The controversy arose from James's actions before the Philadelphia 76ers' season opener against the New York Knicks earlier in the week at Madison Square Garden.

Trump had posted a video on social media, accusing James of disrespecting the United States. The video showed James appearing to practice a golf swing and a jump shot while lined up with teammates who were largely standing still during the anthem. Trump's post vehemently condemned James, stating, "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!"

Responding to Trump's comments, 76ers coach Nick Nurse, speaking before his team's home opener, dismissed the criticism as another external distraction. "I think that goes right in with other outside noise we've already had," Nurse commented, emphasizing his team's focus on practice, film, and game performance, which he described as "outstanding."

Interestingly, Trump himself has faced scrutiny for his own behavior during the national anthem. In 2020, the Miami Herald shared a video depicting Trump waving his hands as if conducting an orchestra while the anthem played at a Super Bowl watch party. In the same clip, Trump also appeared to gesture at others, even as those around him stood with their hands over their hearts.

The public sparring between Trump and James is not new, with the two figures having exchanged critiques for several years. Their history of disagreements and James's involvement in political and social statements dates back to previous seasons.

One notable instance occurred in 2017 when James, then with the Cleveland Cavaliers, wore a pair of shoes—one black, one white—each bearing the word "equality" in capital gold letters. Following that game, James made a direct statement about Trump, asserting, "This is a beautiful country, and we're never going to let one person dictate how beautiful and how powerful we are." He had previously called Trump "a bum" on Twitter and, earlier that season, voiced his concern that the president "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."

Another significant moment came in 2018 after Fox News host Laura Ingraham criticized James for his comments on social issues. James famously retorted, "We will definitely not shut up and dribble. I will definitely not do that. I mean too much to society. I mean too much to the youth. I mean too much to so many kids that feel like they don't have a way out, and they need someone to help lead them out of the situation they're in." In his defiance, James invoked the legacies of athlete-activists such as Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, Bill Russell, and Jackie Robinson, emphasizing that they spoke up for equality and change without fear of consequences, recognizing that their impact was "bigger than us."

James's commitment to social causes was further recognized in 2020 when he was named The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year. This honor was largely due to his leadership in guiding the Los Angeles Lakers to a championship and his significant efforts during the peak of the Black Lives Matter movement, which helped convince many previously non-voting individuals to head to the polls. James articulated his priorities, stating, "I still know what I do on the floor and obviously, I give everything to the game. But I can make a greater impact off the floor right now, more than I can on the floor. And I want to continue to inspire people with the way I play the game of basketball. But there's so many more things that I can do off the floor to help cultivate people, inspire people, bring people together, empower them."