LeBron James Brushes Off Trump's Anthem Attack: 'Slow News Day at the Office'

TL;DR: Footage of LeBron James appearing to swing a golf club during Tuesday’s national anthem at Madison Square Garden went viral. On Thursday, President Donald Trump shared the clip on Truth Social, called James “a TOTAL DISGRACE” and demanded an apology, then repeated the attack at an Iowa rally. After the 76ers’ 114-106 comeback win over Cleveland that night, James laughed it off: “It must have been a slow news day at the office.”

The video is eleven seconds of stretching. The reaction took a president.

On Tuesday night, during the Philadelphia 76ers’ season opener against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, James was caught on camera moving around during the national anthem. He appeared to practice a golf swing and mimicked taking a basketball shot. The clip spread fast, and by Thursday it had reached the Oval Office’s social media account.

What did Trump say?

Thursday was the escalation. Trump shared the footage on Truth Social and wrote: “I said right from the beginning that he’s no good, a TOTAL DISGRACE.” Then came the demand: “LeBron James should apologize to all of those Great American Warriors and Heroes who died for the American Flag.”

He was not done. At a rally in Iowa later Thursday, Trump brought James up again, calling the incident “a big scandal kind of a story.” USA Today reports both the post and the rally remarks. It is the latest round in a feud that has run for years, with James repeatedly criticizing Trump and Trump backing Michael Jordan over James in basketball’s GOAT debate earlier this year. This was not James’ first anthem episode either. He was filmed doing a similar golf swing during the anthem with the Lakers on Christmas Day last year, and that clip resurfaced within hours. It was also the same MSG ring-night game that produced his caught-on-mic “championship whistle” moment, so Tuesday’s opener keeps giving the internet material.

How did LeBron respond?

With a shrug that doubled as a headline. After the 76ers’ 114-106 comeback victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night, James was asked what he thought of the president’s words. He chuckled.

“Must (have been) a slow news day at the office, you know? Slow news day in the office,” he said.

The game gave him cover. Philadelphia is 2-0 in James’ first season with the team after he left the Lakers in the summer, his remarkable 24th NBA season. And his behavior for Thursday’s anthem was noticeably different. At the Xfinity Mobile Arena, James stood still with his arms behind his back for the full performance, a contrast USA Today and The Sun both noted.

Why did Jokic get dragged in?

Because Thursday’s other anthem footage made the outrage look selective. Basketball Network reports that Denver’s Nikola Jokic was seen stretching alongside Jamal Murray during the anthem before Thursday’s game against Oklahoma City, behavior that looked similar to James’. There was no social media backlash for Jokic.

One X user called it out directly: “To everyone who had a problem with LeBron James during the national anthem, make sure you go after Jokic as well for literally doing the same thing! Or do you just expect Black men to be patriotic?” Others pushed back, noting Jokic is Serbian and arguing nationality changes the anthem question. The debate split both ways, which is exactly why it caught fire.

The defenders’ case for James also rests on company. The Sun notes other 76ers players could be seen stretching during the same performance, which is why some called the whole storm overblown. The critics’ case is simpler: stand still for two minutes.

Why did Thursday’s anthem look different?

Because the message had landed, even if the response was a joke. For the home game against Cleveland at the Xfinity Mobile Arena, James stood still with his arms behind his back for the full anthem. Both USA Today and The Sun noted the contrast with Tuesday’s fidgeting. Nobody called it an apology. It read more like an adjustment: say the funny line after the game, but do not hand the internet a second clip. The NBA week has had no shortage of off-court drama, from Jaylen Brown’s emoji episode to the Warriors’ ongoing Porzingis mystery, and James’ anthem week is the biggest of them.

What happens next?

Nothing from the league, almost certainly. There is no rule here, just a culture fight, and the 76ers’ early-season storylines are about basketball anyway. The interesting tell is Thursday’s behavior. James stood at attention for the home anthem, which suggests the message landed even if the response was a joke. The Jaylen Brown emoji episode showed how fast an NBA social-media storm burns this week, and this one burned on the same timeline: video Tuesday, presidential attack Thursday, punchline Thursday night. Expect the clip to resurface the next time James fidgets during an anthem. He has now done it twice on camera.