Charles Barkley has hit back at the criticism of the USA men’s hockey team after they celebrated their Olympic triumph with Donald Trump.
The USA clinched gold at the Winter Olympics last month when they beat bitter rival Canada in a thrilling 2-1 overtime win.
However, the Olympic champions sparked backlash by celebrating their victory with the president, who spoke to the team to congratulate them in a locker room phone call moments after their win.
Days later, the players jetted into Washington DC to attend the State of the Union address and visit the White House at Trump’s invitation.
The gold medal winners have come under fire over the past week, in particular for laughing at a joke made by Trump at the expense of the women’s team.
However, NBA legend Barkley has defended the USA stars from the ‘idiots’ criticizing them.
NBA legend Charles Barkley has hit back at the criticism of the USA men’s hockey team
The gold medal winners visited the White House and attended the State of the Union address
‘Why do y’all have to mess up everything?’ Barkley ranted on his Steam Room podcast with Ernie Johnson.
‘Everything is not Democrat, Republican, conservative or liberal. That’s why we got this divided, screwed up country. Stop it, man. Because the public, they’re idiots, they’re fools. They can’t think for themselves. I know y’all say stuff to trigger them. Y’all say stuff and y’all know they’re going to be fools.’
Johnson then interjected to clarify that the White House visit became controversial due to the US men’s players laughing at Trump’s joke about the women’s team.
In a leaked clip from inside the locker room, Trump told the players: ‘I must tell you, we are going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that. I do believe I would probably be impeached [if I didn’t invite them].’
His comment drew laughter from Mike Sullivan’s players, who instantly accepted the offer, sparking controversy.
However, Barkley continued to rail against the critics, adding: ‘We don’t have to fall for stupidity.
‘These people out here are stupid, they need something to trigger them. Just ’cause they want us to be stupid, we don’t have to be stupid. He should have invited both teams to the White House. Simple as that. Guys who didn’t want to go, shouldn’t have to explain why they didn’t go.’
It is tradition for American championship teams to visit the White House to celebrate their titles. However, many fans – and Johnson – felt that the USA hockey team’s trip was controversial due to Trump’s insensitive joke and the extra political aspect of attending the State of the Union.
Donald Trump made a ‘misogynistic’ remark about the USA women’s team while calling the male stars to congratulate them on their Winter Olympics gold medal
Team USA’s men’s hockey stars have come under fire after laughing at the ‘sexist’ joke
However, Barkley, who insisted that he is not a fan of the president, claimed that he would have still accepted the invitation.
‘I’m not a Trump guy. But if I got invited to the White House, I would go,’ Barkley said. ‘I’m not a Trump guy, I want to make that clear. But I respect the office. He’s the president of the United States… it doesn’t have to be a talking point. I don’t have to be un-American. I just wish y’all would stop falling for stupidity.’
Barkley, however, did not attend the visit to the White House in 1992, when then-President George Bush invited American Olympic athletes to celebrate their performances at the Summer Games in Barcelona.
Trump’s remark – and the reaction from the players – sparked fury from critics, including ex-ESPN star Keith Olbermann who said anyone that accepts the president’s invite is ‘declaring their indelible stupidity and misogyny.’
US women’s hockey star Laila Edwards also appeared to be unimpressed by the players’ reaction. She liked a post on Instagram which carried a quote, purportedly from comedian Tina Fey.
‘You can tell how smart people are by what they laugh at,’ read the post. It was captioned: ‘Anyway, women >>>’
Last week, however, men’s hockey hero Jack Hughes insisted they are ‘so tight’ with the women’s group.
‘Everyone in that locker room knows how much we support them, how proud we are of them and we know the same way we feel about them, they feel about us.’
The American women also clinched gold at the Milan-Cortina Games just days earlier
Hilary Knight, the captain of the women’s team, branded Trump’s remark ‘distasteful’ on Wednesday, but said that it was not worth distracting from Team USA‘s success.
‘I just thought the joke was distasteful and unfortunate,’ Knight said alongside fellow Olympians Alex Carpenter, Hannah Bilka and Cayla Barnes at the Seattle Space Needle ahead of their return to play for the Seattle Torrent of the Professional Women’s Hockey League.
‘And, I think just the way women are represented, it’s a great teaching point and really shines light on how women should be championed for their amazing feats.’
