President Trump took to Twitter on Wednesday morning to continue his ongoing beefs with LaVar Ball and the NFL.
President Trump has spent the past week clashing with LaVar Ball, father of Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball and UCLA freshman Liangelo Ball, over his role in bringing Liangelo back to the U.S. after the latter, along with two Bruins teammates, was caught shoplifting on a team trip to China.
Following the players’ return to the States, Trump wondered on Twitter whether they were going to thank him for ensuring their safe return home, leading LaVar to question, in an interview with CNN, the extent of the role the President actually played in helping the teenagers make it back.
On Wednesday, Trump responded to LaVar’s CNN appearance, calling him “a poor man’s Don King, but without the hair” and an “Ungrateful fool!” Trump also repeated his earlier claim that Liangelo was facing a long-term prison sentence, despite reports he was facing only two weeks in jail.
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
...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
When he finished tweeting about the Balls, Trump turned his attention to another one of his favorite targets, the NFL, criticizing the league for considering a proposal that would see players stay in the locker during the national anthem. His verdict? “That’s almost as bad as kneeling!”
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
Trump has been a vocal critic of the NFL as more and more players have knelt during the national anthem in protest of racial inequality and police brutality. The league put up a united front when Trump suggested in September that teams should fire players who kneel, but not everyone inside the NFL is comfortable with the protests.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has been particularly outspoken on the issue, claiming he would bench players who knelt during the anthem, despite kneeling with his players before the anthem following Trump’s initial comments.