Golden State Warriors meet Nancy Pelosi after declining Trump invitation to White House
The Golden State Warriors have snubbed President Donald Trump once again by meeting with Democrats instead of visiting him in the White House.
Even though the team declined a White House invite last year after their victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals, the team met up with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Rep Barbara Lee — both California Democrats — in Washington Wednesday after a game against the Wizards.
The Warriors got into a public dispute with Mr Trump last year after winning the championship, and were disinvited from a White House visit — a custom for NBA teams that win the national title — after players voiced their disgust for the President. Instead, the team brought kids in the nation’s capital to the African-American Museum.
“It was beautiful. It was lovely,” Ms Pelosi told the Washington Post of their decision not to meet with the President and instead spend time with children. “And you know what was great about it? The authenticity. This is what they wanted to do.”
Mr Trump has been a polarising figure in the world of sports. In addition to the very public dispute with the Warriors, Mr Trump has taken on the NFL, which he waged war against last year after seeing players kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racism in America.
That war with the NFL initially sparked further protests from players, many of whom joined in to say that the President’s characterization of the movement — he said it was anti-American and against the US flag — was false.
That movement to kneel was initially started by former 49ers quarter Colin Kapernick, who initially began his movement by sitting on a bench during the anthem.
Kaepernick later modified his protest, at the behest of his confidants, to the now-iconic kneel. He later cited kneeling as a more respectful way for him to protest, and said he modified his stance so that he would not be disrespecting American veterans.
Others in the NBA, in addition to the Warriors, have also spoken out against Mr Trump or his supporters as well. That includes Cleveland Cavalier’s player Lebron James, who once called the President a “bum” on Twitter, and who has spoken out against conservative critics who have tried to say that James’ place is to be quiet and just play basketball.
James' tweet calling the President a "bum" quickly went viral, and eventually surpassed Mr Trump's most viral tweet with more likes and retweets.
