Philadelphia 76ers forward LeBron James responded to President Donald Trump’s criticism over his national anthem gestures during the NBA season opener. Trump had accused James of disrespecting the U.S. and called for an apology to military personnel.
James dismissed the remarks as insignificant, stating, “It’s a slow news day at the office, you know. Slow news day in the office.” He made the comment after the 76ers’ victory over the Cavaliers on Thursday night. Earlier in the week, Trump had posted on Truth Social, “While listening to our National Anthem, LeBron James disrespects our Country!” and claimed James owed an apology to “Great American Warriors and Heroes who died for the American Flag.”
During the Sixers’ debut against the New York Knicks on Tuesday, James appeared to perform stretches and a basketball shooting motion while the national anthem played. Trump’s post included a video of the moment, with overlaid text alleging James was “working on his golf swing.” Trump reiterated his criticism in a campaign stop in Iowa, calling James a “total disgrace.”
Coach Nick Nurse of the 76ers downplayed the exchange, stating, “I keep saying the same thing. All I really care about is getting to the practice floor... The focus that they’ve had... has been outstanding.” James has a history of public criticism of Trump, including calling him a “bum” in 2017 and condemning the president’s decision to revoke a White House invitation to the Golden State Warriors.
Trump has a long-standing pattern of targeting James, including recent remarks questioning James’ intelligence and speculating he might be a “racist.” James has not directly addressed Trump’s latest comments, and representatives for the NBA star did not respond to requests for further comment.