It’s September 23, 2017, and the president of the United States has gotten himself into a Twitter war with LeBron James.
At a rally in Alabama Friday night—purportedly to support Sen. Luther Strange (R-AL) in Tuesday’s special election—President Trump criticized Colin Kaepernick and other players who have taken a knee during the national anthem.
“Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘get that son of a bitch off the field right now. He is fired. He’s fired!,’” Trump said.
A number of NFL players, as well as the Player’s Association and the league, responded to the comments Friday night and Saturday morning.
In the midst of Trump’s feud with the NFL, on Saturday morning, Fox & Friends ran a segment about how NBA star Stephen Curry didn’t want to come to the White House following the Warriors championship win. Just minutes after Fox & Friends ran the story, Trump tweeted out that he was rescinding Curry’s invitation to come to the White House.
Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team.Stephen Curry is hesitating,therefore invitation is withdrawn!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23, 2017
The tweet prompted a flurry of replies from NBA players and NBA-adjacent characters, including ESPN anchor Jemele Hill. (Earlier this month, Hill tweeted that Trump is a “white supremacist,” and the White House called for her firing. ThinkProgress broke the news that ESPN tried to replace Hill with another black anchor.)
Hey @StephenCurry30, welcome to the club bro 😂
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 23, 2017
You can't be uninvited to something you weren't going to anyway pic.twitter.com/oZVmDn5ClH
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 23, 2017
🙄Okay… Donate to earthquake relief here!!! https://t.co/HL5cvwbGtQ
— Ayesha Curry (@ayeshacurry) September 23, 2017
Curry’s wife, Ayesha, responded to the tweet with an eye-rolling emoji and a link to donate to earthquake relief.
Kaepernick’s mother, Teresa Kaepernick, responded to the president’s rally comments Friday night on Twitter:
Guess that makes me a proud bitch!
— Teresa Kaepernick (@B4IleaveU) September 23, 2017
She said in an interview with Deadspin on Saturday that Trump was like a “bully on a playground” and “what most of us have come to expect from him.” She noted that Trump calls out private citizens for exercising their free speech rights about racial inequality but has trouble speaking ill of white supremacists.
And then the King Himself, LeBron Raymone James, weighed in.
U bum @StephenCurry30 already said he ain't going! So therefore ain't no invite. Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!
— LeBron James (@KingJames) September 23, 2017
“U bum @StephenCurry30 already said he ain’t going!” James tweeted. “So therefore ain’t no invite. Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!”
As Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg put it, “The President of the United States is now in a war with Stephen Curry and LeBron James. This is not a war Trump will win.”
Curry spoke to the media Saturday evening, telling reporters his stance on Trump is “the same” but was “cemented” Saturday. The NBA star also said Trump’s tweet about him was “surreal” and thanked James and other players for their support.
Curry "my stance is the same as it was yesterday. This kind of cemented it even further."
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) September 23, 2017
“It’s kind of beneath a leader of a country to go that route. That’s not what leaders do,” Curry said of the tweet, adding that he hopes people focus on “the right things,” including the recent earthquakes and hurricanes.
Steph called the Trump tweet surreal and added…"It's kind of beneath a leader of a country to go that route. That's not what leaders do."
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) September 23, 2017
Steph said this is a "Wild, wild turn of events & we want to make sure focus is on the right things." Cited recent hurricanes/earthquakes
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) September 23, 2017
A number of other NFL and NBA players have been responding to Trump’s comments on Twitter Saturday. Here are some of the best reactions:
Chris Paul, Houston Rockets
With everything that's going on in our country, why are YOU focused on who's kneeling and visiting the White House??? #StayInYoLane
— Chris Paul (@CP3) September 23, 2017
And I doubt he's man enough to call any of those players a son of a bitch to their face…
— Chris Paul (@CP3) September 23, 2017
Cameron Jordan, New Orleans Saints
Only validates @Kaepernick7 bringing social injustice to light, he kneeled hoping it'd bring attention to what he believed in… Has it not?
— cameron jordan (@camjordan94) September 23, 2017
Trump and admin has now attacked Jemele Hill, Colin Kaepernick, & uninvited the warriors. All have something in common but 👀🤔 https://t.co/D1Eg9KXoVM
— cameron jordan (@camjordan94) September 23, 2017
Omar Bolden, NFL free agent
All NFL players should take a knee tomorrow! #FDT
— Omar C. Bolden (@OmarBolden) September 23, 2017
Chris Conley, Kansas City Chiefs
“Stick to sports boy… Sit down and do what your told. Say or do something we don’t like and your fired” Well I hate to break it to ya…
— Chris Conley (@_flight17_) September 23, 2017
Doug Baldwin, Seattle Seahawks
Statement from Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin. Maybe my favorite response thus far. pic.twitter.com/MpH2Y1dC44
— Dave Zirin (@EdgeofSports) September 23, 2017
Lesean McCoy, Buffalo Bills
It's really sad man … our president is a asshole
— Lesean McCoy (@CutonDime25) September 23, 2017
Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
Still wondering how this guy is running our country…. 🤔🤔🤔
— Draymond Green (@Money23Green) September 23, 2017
Kobe Bryant, retired
A #POTUS whose name alone creates division and anger. Whose words inspire dissension and hatred can't possibly "Make America Great Again"
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) September 23, 2017
Reggie Bush, retired
#Kaepernick we riding with you bro ✊🏾
— Reggie Bush (@ReggieBush) September 23, 2017
Robert Griffin III, NFL free agent
You can't lead the world POTUS if you can't unite your own country
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) September 23, 2017
Richard Sherman, Seattle Seahawks
The behavior of the President is unacceptable and needs to be addressed. If you do not Condemn this divisive Rhetoric you are Condoning it!!
— Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) September 23, 2017
Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards
How you gonna withdraw an invite that somebody already said they weren't attending? 🤔🤡
— Bradley Beal (@RealDealBeal23) September 23, 2017
Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
"I don't want to spend the night at your house " … "ok well you can't spend the night at my house anymore" https://t.co/WH5w1b2gJV
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) September 23, 2017
Baron Davis, NBA free agent
Your a Clown 🤡. @realDonaldTrump – and yo dumbass fired !! @StephenCurry30
For President !!!
— Baron Davis (@BaronDavis) September 23, 2017
Takeo Spikes, retired
How about all of us get together & say, "get that "son of a b*tch" out of the White House". #Fu*kingDotard✊🏾 https://t.co/NQx6KUKwdI
— Takeo Spikes, M.B.A (@TakeoSpikes51) September 23, 2017
Lance Moore, retired
Oh and somebody tell the head Cheeto in charge that "you can't fire someone that's already quit". In reference to his @StephenCurry30 tweet
— Lance Moore (@LanceMoore16) September 23, 2017
Terrance Knighton, retired
I hope more players kneel https://t.co/FjBHNhESh0
— Terrance Knighton (@MisterRoast98) September 23, 2017
JR Smith, Cleveland Cavaliers
@BarackObama we need you back ASAP
— JR Smith (@TheRealJRSmith) September 23, 2017
James Michael McAdoo, Philadelphia 76ers
You won't @ him tho 😴😴😴 https://t.co/6qoP5zoe0y
— James Michael McAdoo (@jamesmcadoo) September 23, 2017
David West, Golden State Warriors
😂😂😂😂
— David West (@D_West30) September 23, 2017
This post has been updated to include additional tweets from players, as well as quotes from an interview with Colin Kaepernick’s mother, Teresa.