Donald Trump Rescinds Warriors' White House Invitation After Stephen Curry Comments
Just hours after taking issue with the NFL, President Donald Trump has set his sights on the NBA.
Trump tweeted Saturday morning that he will not invite the Warriors to visit the White House, in response to comments Stephen Curry made Friday.
The Warriors issued a statement later Saturday to clarify their stance, stating that the team had intended to meet and discuss earlier that morning whether they would accept an invitation to the White House. Golden State is scheduled to play the Wizards in Washington on Feb. 28 and implied that the team would plan to use that trip as a platform for the players to voice their opinions.
“We accept that President Trump has made it clear that we are not invited,” the Warriors wrote in the statement. “We believe there is nothing more American that our citizens having the right to express themselves freely on matters important to them. We’re disappointed that we did not have an opportunity during this process to share our views or have open dialogue on issues impacting our communities that we felt would be important to raise.
“In lieu of a visit to the White House, we have decided that we’ll constructively use our trip to the nation’s capital in February to celebrate equality, diversity and inclusion — the values that we embrace as an organization.”
General manager Bob Myers told ESPN on Saturday that the Warriors were considering visiting the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture when they visit D.C.
Curry’s comments on Friday restarted the ongoing discussion surrounding the team’s potential trip. It's unclear whether the White House had actually extended an invitation to the Warriors in the first place. When players and coaches have spoken about the possibility of attending, it has always been framed as "if we're invited."
“You can talk about all the different personalities that have said things and done things — from Kaepernick to what happened with Michael Bennett to all sorts of examples of what has gone on in our country that has led to change,” Curry told reporters. “We’re all trying to do what we can using our platforms, using our opportunities to shed light on that. That’s kind of where I stand on that. I don’t think us going to the White House will miraculously make everything better, but this is my opportunity to voice that.”
Curry also said that if the team were to vote on whether to go, he would say no.
Saturday morning, shortly after the television program Fox & Friends covered Curry's comments, Trump tweeted that the invite was off the table.
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NBA commissioner Adam Silver issued a statement on the matter as well.
Curry has made no secret of his feelings for Trump—in February, he backhandedly referred to Trump as an "ass." Many of Curry's teammates, such as Kevin Durant, and head coach Steve Kerr have also been vocal critics of Trump.
