Steve Kerr and Steph Curry React to Trump Assassination Attempt

As the U.S. men’s Olympic basketball team prepares for its upcoming exhibition games in Abu Dhabi, head coach Steve Kerr and star player Steph Curry, both also of the Golden State Warriors, expressed concern and sadness Sunday morning following an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.

A 20-year-old gunman opened fire Saturday night at a Trump campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, wounding the president in the right ear. The shooter and a rallygoer were killed, and at least two others were seriously injured.

Kerr, whose father Malcolm Kerr was gunned down in Beirut in 1984, has consistently spoken out against the high rates of gun violence in the United States and has participated in several advocacy events on the topic over the years.

“This is a very demoralizing day for our country, and it’s another example of not only our political division, but our gun culture,” Kerr said from Abu Dhabi. “A 20-year-old with an AR-15 trying to shoot the former president. It’s hard to take it all in, and it’s scary to think about what this is going to be like because of the problems that already exist in the country. So it’s a terrible day.”

Kerr added that yesterday’s events make Team USA’s actions more important than ever.

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“This is a moment where we are very proud to represent our country by wearing the American flag on our chest, by participating in the Olympics,” Kerr said. “We talked to the players about the importance of showing the best version of ourselves as human beings to represent our country in a respectful and dignified way. It makes us want to do it even more because it is really shameful for us to sit here and think about what happened and what is happening in our country.”

Curry echoed Kerr’s sentiments, calling today “a very sad time in general.”

“All the conversations around the election and the state of politics in our country, and then you have a situation like this, which just brings up a lot of emotions around things that we need to fix as a people,” Curry said.

Curry called for more gun restrictions in the wake of Saturday’s shooting. Like Kerr, Curry has also been outspoken about gun violence over the years.

“Of course, gun control is the number one priority,” Curry said. “Because the fact that an attack like this is possible is a possible thing. But most of all, there needs to be positivity and hope. It may sound corny, but it’s real. This is when our country is at its best, and this just adds another stain to what’s happening. Sad is the right word.”