Trump's Past Remarks on LeBron James Resurface Amid WNBA Transgender Debate

A 2022 remark by former U.S. President Donald Trump about recruiting NBA star LeBron James for a women's basketball team has resurfaced amid ongoing WNBA discussions about transgender athletes. The former president's comments, made at an "America First Policy Institute" event, resurfaced on social media ahead of a game between the Indiana "Fever" and the New York "Liberty." Trump had joked that he would be the greatest women's basketball coach ever if he could recruit James. "I'll tell you what – I'd be the best women's basketball coach in history. I don't like LeBron James, I like Michael Jordan much better. But I would go to LeBron and ask him: 'LeBron, have you ever wanted to be a woman? I would like you to play on the team I'm creating. I would have the best team in history that would never lose, and no opponent would come closer than 70 points,'" Trump said at the time. The resurfaced video gained traction as debates continue following a statement by Indiana "Fever" guard Caitlin Clark, who argued that women should not compete against transgender women in women's sports. Clark's statement has drawn both support and accusations of transphobia and racism. Activists supporting transgender rights and those supporting Clark's stance have clashed at recent events. The public conflict between Trump and James has also been ongoing for nearly a decade, with James frequently criticizing Trump's administration and policies, while Trump has often responded on social media, criticizing James's intelligence.

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I'll tell you what – I'd be the best women's basketball coach in history. I don't like LeBron James, I like Michael Jordan much better. But I would go to LeBron and ask him: 'LeBron, have you ever wanted to be a woman? I would like you to play on the team I'm creating. I would have the best team in history that would never lose, and no opponent would come closer than 70 points.'