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Trump accuses LeBron James of disrespecting national anthem

President Donald Trump posted a video of the NBA star and called him a 'total disgrace' for his actions during the US national anthem.

23 October 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: Trump accuses LeBron James of disrespecting national anthem — Archive photoPhoto: Asalover2004 · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

President Donald Trump criticized NBA star LeBron James on Thursday for his conduct during the playing of the national anthem before the Philadelphia 76ers' season opener on Tuesday. Trump posted the criticism on Truth Social, sharing a video of James.

According to the posts, James continued with warm-up movements while the national anthem was being performed. Trump described James' actions as disrespectful to the United States and called him a 'total disgrace.'

Trump called on James to apologize, stating that the NBA star should express regret to American military personnel. In his social media post, Trump referenced those he described as 'Great American Warriors and Heroes who died for the American Flag.'

The criticism came after the 76ers' season opener, with Trump singling out the basketball player for what he characterized as failure to stand still during the anthem. Trump also recalled earlier negative comments about James, saying 'I said right from the beginning that he's no good.'

The incident sparked attention across multiple news outlets, with coverage focusing on Trump's accusations of anthem disrespect and his demand for an apology from the NBA star.

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