NBA icon Charles Barkley has insisted that he would treat Donald Trump with the dignity he deserves' if he ever met him, even though he would never vote for him to become president.
Last year Barkley said he would hit black people who show support for Trump by wearing his notorious mug shot on a T-shirt.
But now his approach seems to be soft. He discussed the overlap of sport and politics about an appearance on 'The Steam Room' – specifically, February reports that the Philadelphia Eagles would refuse a visit to the White House after their Super Bowl victory due to Trump. The report was later untrue and the Eagles intended to attend.
The 62-year-old Barkley thought it was good of the Eagles to underline their intention to accept Trump's offer, whether or not to support Trump's presidency.
“Even though I disagree with President Trump about some things, if I would meet him, I would still give him the respect and the dignity he deserves,” he said.
'It bothers me if these teams don't want to go to the White House. When did we reach a point like a country when we fell: “We are not going to the White House because we don't like who is there?”
Charles Barkley says he would treat Donald Trump with 'dignity' if he ever met the president
Barkley's comments come to the midst of Trump's invitation of Trump's White House after their Super Bowl victory
“When I see a black person walking around with a Trump -Mokschot, I will hit him in the face.” – Charles Barkley pic.twitter.com/G8SBF4AEMY
– Terrible announcement (@AWFULANNSUNCING) March 4, 2024
“That's just stupid, in my opinion. The (report) came out (that) the Eagles did not go to the White House, I said, “I hate that.”
'Then they came back and said,' No, we would certainly go. “And I said,” Jo man, I don't care who the president is, he is the president of the United States. ” It has disturbed me in the last 10 years when athletes say: “Well, I'm not going because this certain person is president.”
Last year Barkley caused indignation when he said he would hit black people who wore Trump's mug shot on a T-shirt.
Trump said his mug shot appealed to black voters because he 'is being discriminated against' on a gala organized by the Black Conservative Federation.
Barkley responded in March 2024 and said to Gayle King: 'When I see a black person walking around with a Trump -Mokschot, I will hit him in the face. Oh, I mean that sincerely.
'If I was there, I would have risen and ran away. That was an insult to all black people. It is not a fair comparison. He is a billionaire. He had a great life. He is president of the United States.
“To insult black people who have been discriminated against all those years, to place them in the same category, I was just offended.”
However, Barkley has been consistent to call up athletes to respect who holds the office.
Barkley said last year that he would 'hit' people who would wear Trump's mokschot on a T-shirt
When he called on Joe Biden to get rid of the race in front of the White House after his disastrous debate against Trump, Barkley underlined his conviction that athletes should respect him if he became president again.
“He has had a great life, he is one of the greatest people I have ever had to be in my life, but it's time to pass the torch,” Barkley said about Biden. “And listen … President Trump, I would never vote for someone who had that mentality.
'You must always respect the office of the person 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 there. That's stupid. It is the president of the United States. We must always admire that office, regardless of who is in it. '
