Trump blasts basketball star LeBron James for not standing still during US anthem | South China Morning Post            (trump-blasts-basketball-star-lebron-james-not-standing-still-during-us-anthem.html)                                  (../../../../../static/manifest.json)  (../../../../../../assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/favicon.ico)  (../../../../../../assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/icons/scmp-icon-192x192.png)  (../../../../../../assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/icons/scmp-icon-256x256.png)  (../../../../../../assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/icons/scmp-icon-192x192.png)  (../../../../../../assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/icons/scmp-icon-192x192.png)  (https://amp.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3371833/trump-blasts-basketball-star-lebron-james-not-standing-still-during-us-anthem)  (https://apigw.scmp.com)  (https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com)  (https://cdn.i-scmp.com)  (https://img.i-scmp.com)  (https://cdn1.i-scmp.com)  (https://cdn2.i-scmp.com)  (https://cdn3.i-scmp.com)  (https://cdn4.i-scmp.com)  (https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com)  (https://ad-tech.scmp.com)  (https://c.amazon-adsystem.com)  (https://cdn.keywee.co)  (https://cdn.mouseflow.com)  (https://cdn.opecloud.com)  (https://cdn.petametrics.com)  (https://connect.facebook.com)  (https://fonts.googleapis.com)  (https://fonts.gstatic.com)  (https://js-sec.indexww.com)  (https://securepubads.g.doubleclick.net)  (https://widgets.scmp.com)  (https://www.doubleclickbygoogle.com)  (https://www.facebook.com)  (https://www.google-analytics.com)  (https://www.googleadservices.com)  (https://www.google.com)  (https://www.googletagmanager.com)  (../../../../../../assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/_next/static/css/4a9777f1b0526d0c.css)  (../../../../../../assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/_next/static/css/024d37ad54557c14.css)  (../../../../../../assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/_next/static/css/127ae35205af64c7.css)  (../../../../../../assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/_next/static/css/bd5ebf0790610eb8.css)  (../../../../../../assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/_next/static/css/a070c9513bea1763.css)    (../../../../../../fonts.googleapis.com/icon@family=Material+Icons&display=swap.css)  (../../../../../../assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/_next/static/css/4a9777f1b0526d0c.css)  (../../../../../../assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/_next/static/css/024d37ad54557c14.css)  (../../../../../../assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/_next/static/css/127ae35205af64c7.css)  (../../../../../../assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/_next/static/css/bd5ebf0790610eb8.css)  (../../../../../../assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/_next/static/css/a070c9513bea1763.css)        (https://www.scmp.com/?module=masthead&pgtype=article)       (https://www.scmp.com/?module=masthead&pgtype=article)                             (https://www.scmp.com/search?module=masthead&pgtype=article)     (https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada?module=masthead&pgtype=article) United States & Canada  -       (https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada?module=masthead&pgtype=article) United States & Canada  ‘Disgrace’: Trump blasts LeBron James for not standing still during US anthem  (https://www.scmp.com/?module=masthead&pgtype=article)                                            1             Advertisement     (https://www.scmp.com/topics/donald-trump?module=breadcrumb&pgtype=article) Donald Trump  (https://www.scmp.com/news/world?module=breadcrumb&pgtype=article) World   (https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada?module=breadcrumb&pgtype=article) United States & Canada    Trump blasts basketball star LeBron James for not standing still during US anthem   The US president and the NBA player have been critical of one another for years, occasionally trading public swipes       3-MIN READ 3-MIN             1                    Listen            (Philadelphia 76ers forward LeBron James yells during an NBA basketball game in New York on Tuesday. Photo: AP)                    (https://www.scmp.com/author/associated-press-1) Associated Press   Published: 4:38am, 23 Oct 2026     US President Donald Trump on Thursday accused LeBron James of disrespecting the United States after the NBA star appeared to continue his warm-ups while the national anthem was performed before Philadelphia’s season opener on Tuesday. “I said right from the beginning that he’s no good, a TOTAL DISGRACE,” Trump said of James in a social media post sharing the video. “LeBron James should apologize to all of those Great American Warriors and Heroes who died for the American Flag, and all that our Country stands for!”  James appeared to practice a golf swing and jump shot as The Star-Spangled Banner was performed at Tuesday’s game in New York. James, starting his first season with Philadelphia, was lined up alongside teammates who mostly stood still during the anthem.                                  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