It's no secret that Donald Trump has been involved in a heated war of worlds with the world of sports in recent months. As the president started off his morning, he couldn't help be speak out against some of his top targets.
Trump on sports
It's become commonplace for Donald Trump to lash out on social media and vent his anger and frustration. From the early days of the 2016 presidential election, it became apparent that the former host of "The Apprentice" was going to use Twitter to bypass the traditional media in order to get his message across, which has only increased since being sworn into office last January.
While Trump has often hit back at his critics, including those in Hollywood, the media, the Democratic and Republican Party, he's recently engaged in a feud with those in the world of sports. It started earlier this fall when the president was speaking to a crowd of supporters in Alabama when he called out the NFL for allowing its players to protest during the national anthem, while referring to those who take part in the demonstration as a "son of b*tch." Since then, Trump has ripped into NBA's Stephen Curry, while most recently having words with LaVar Ball, whose son he helped get released from a jail in China after he was arrested for shoplifting. After Ball refused to thank Trump for his assistance, the president decided to speak out during a pair of tweets on November 22.
It wasn’t the White House, it wasn’t the State Department, it wasn’t father LaVar’s so-called people on the ground in China that got his son out of a long term prison sentence - IT WAS ME. Too bad! LaVar is just a poor man’s version of Don King, but without the hair. Just think..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 22, 2017
Taking to Twitter on Wednesday morning, Donald Trump wasted no time bashing LaVar Ball, the NBA, and even the NFL, while praising himself in the process "It wasn’t the White House, it wasn’t the State Department, it wasn’t father LaVar’s so-called people on the ground in China that got his son out of a long term prison sentence - IT WAS ME," Trump tweeted, in reference to his agreement with Chinese President Xi that allowed Ball's son and UCLA basketball two teammates to be released from jail.
...LaVar, you could have spent the next 5 to 10 years during Thanksgiving with your son in China, but no NBA contract to support you. But remember LaVar, shoplifting is NOT a little thing. It’s a really big deal, especially in China. Ungrateful fool!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 22, 2017
Not stopping there, Donald Trump continued on with his attack by comparing LaVar Ball to famous boxing promoter Don King.
"Too bad! LaVar is just a poor man’s version of Don King, but without the hair," Trump wrote. The commander in chief concluded his tweet by informing Ball that his son could have spent the next decade behind bars, while labeling him a "Ungrateful fool!"
Trump on NFL
In a follow-up social media post, Donald Trump stuck to his theme of bashing sports, this time returning his focus to NFL after the league pondered the idea of keeping players in the locker room during the national anthem in an attempt to avoid the controversy of a protest. "That’s almost as bad as kneeling!" Trump wrote, while adding, "When will the highly paid Commissioner finally get tough and smart? This issue is killing your league!"
The NFL is now thinking about a new idea - keeping teams in the Locker Room during the National Anthem next season. That’s almost as bad as kneeling! When will the highly paid Commissioner finally get tough and smart? This issue is killing your league!.....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 22, 2017
Next up
While Donald Trump spends time fighting with sports leagues and family members of athletes, he has many other issues to worry about as president. With tax reform and health care hanging in the balance, only time will tell how Trump moves forward, all as the investigation into Russian election interference heats up.
