Trump demands LeBron James apologize for national‑anthem stretching

The president shared video of James’ pre‑game movements and called for an apology to U.S. veterans.

By Felo News Desk · Published Fri, 23 Oct 2026 03:36:23 GMT

President Donald Trump used his Truth Social platform on Thursday to demand that NBA star LeBron James apologise for what he described as disrespect during the national anthem.

What happened

Video posted by the Philadelphia Inquirer showed James standing still with his arms behind his back while the anthem played before the Sixers’ game at Wells Fargo Arena on Tuesday. Earlier, a separate clip from the season‑opening Sixers‑Knicks game showed James stretching and mimicking shooting motions during the anthem. Trump shared the latter video on Truth Social, accusing the 41‑year‑old of disrespecting the United States and urging an apology to “Great American Warriors and Heroes who died for the American Flag.”

What the reports add

The Independent noted that the criticism came after James’ debut for the Philadelphia 76ers, in which he scored 14 points in a 106‑100 win over the New York Knicks. The outlet also recalled Trump’s earlier attacks on NFL players who knelt during the anthem in 2017. The New York Post provided additional detail, describing James as “still as a statue” during the anthem before Thursday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers and quoting Trump’s exact wording from his Truth Social post.

What was said

Trump wrote on Truth Social, “While listening to our National Anthem, LeBron James disrespects our Country!” and added, “LeBron James should apologise to all of those Great American Warriors and Heroes who died for the American Flag.” The Independent reported that Trump also referenced his history of condemning athletes’ anthem conduct. The New York Post quoted Trump’s post in full, including the phrase “a TOTAL DISGRACE.”

How it came about

James’ move to Philadelphia in late September ended his decade‑long tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers, a transition covered by Felo News in a September 25 story about his message to son Bronny and a September 28 article on Bronny joining the 76ers. The president’s use of Truth Social for the criticism follows a recent October 8 hearing on Trump’s proposed $100,000 monthly API fee for the platform, which Felo reported on earlier this month.

Key facts

President Donald Trump posted a video on Truth Social accusing LeBron James of disrespecting the national anthem. (independent.co.uk)
A video from the Philadelphia Inquirer showed James standing still with his arms behind his back during the anthem before a Sixers game. (nypost.com)
James scored 14 points in his debut for the Philadelphia 76ers in a 106‑100 win over the New York Knicks. (independent.co.uk)