The NBA icon, Charles Barkley, insisted that he would treat Donald Trump “ with the dignity he deserves’ if he met him, despite his voting for him to be president.
Last year, Barkley said that he would have hit black people showing Trump support by carrying his sadly famous cup on a t-shirt.
But now his approach seems to have softened. He discussed the overlapping of sports and politics on an appearance in “The Steam Room” – in particular in February, the reports that the Eagles of Philadelphia would refuse a visit to the White House after their victory at the Super Bowl because of Trump. The report turned out to be false later and the Eagles plan to attend.
Barkley, 62, said he had the Eagles to highlight their intention to accept Trump’s offer, whether or not they support Trump’s presidency.
“Even if I do not agree with President Trump on certain things, if I encountered him, I would always give him the respect and dignity he deserves,” he said.
“It bothers me when these teams don’t want to go to the White House. When we have reached a point as a country where we said to ourselves: “We are not going to the White House because we don’t like who is in there?”
Charles Barkley says he would treat Donald Trump with “ dignity ” if he met the president
Barkley’s comments come in the middle of Trump’s White House Eagles, the Eagles after their victory at the Super Bowl
“If I see a black person walking with a Trump cup, I’m going to hit him in the face.” – Charles Barkley pic.twitter.com/g8sbf4aemy
– Horrible Andrfection (@Awfulannouning) March 4, 2024
“It’s just stupid, in my opinion. The (report) came out (that) the Eagles did not go to the White House, I said: “I hate it.”
“Then they returned and said,” No, we would certainly go. “And I said:” Yo Dude, I don’t care who the president is, he is the President of the United States “. It disturbed me during the last 10 years when the athletes say:” Well, I am not going because this certain person is president “.
Last year, Barkley caused indignation when he said he would hit blacks carrying a photo of Trump’s cup on a t-shirt.
Trump said his cup shot had called on black voters because he was “discriminated against” during a gala organized by the Conservative Federation of Blacks.
Responding in March 2024, Barkley told Gayle King: `If I see a black person walking with a Trump cup, I’m going to hit him in the face. Oh, I mean sincerely.
“If I were there, I would have started and went out. It was an insult to all blacks. It is not a fair comparison. He is a billionaire. He had a big life. He was president of the United States.
“To insult the blacks who have been discriminated against all these years, to put them in the same category, I have just been offended.
Barkley was however consistent in the call for athletes to respect anyone who occupies a position.
Barkley last year said that he is hitting ‘people wearing a Trump cup photo on a t-shirt
When he called on Joe Biden to withdraw from the race for the White House after his disastrous debate against Trump, Barkley underlined his conviction that athletes should respect him if he becomes president again.
“He has had a big life, he is one of the biggest people I have never had the chance to be there in my life, but it’s time to have the torch,” Barkley said about Biden. “And listen … President Trump, I would never vote for someone who had this mentality.
“You should always have respect for the office of anyone who is in the presidency. I get angry with these sports teams.
“Some of these bozos will not visit the White House because it is a democrat or a republican in there. It’s stupid. He is the President of the United States. We must always admire this office, it doesn’t matter who is there.
