Donald Trump accuses LeBron James of disrespecting the national anthem

Donald Trump publicly attacked basketball player LeBron James after cameras caught him making golf motions and pretending to take a shot during the national anthem at the NBA season opener between the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks.

Trump published the message on his own social media network. The former U.S. president accused James of disrespecting the United States and called on him to apologize to veterans and American service members who died for the flag and the country’s values.

The athlete’s gesture quickly went viral and sparked criticism online. Users accused him of treating a solemn moment casually, while the incident revived the long-running conflict between Trump and LeBron James.

Trump has criticized athletes who knelt during the anthem in the past to protest racial injustice, calling the gesture disrespectful. James responded at the time that Trump was using sports to divide society and criticized his stance on athletes’ protests.