Less than 24 hours after he called NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick a “son of a bitch” who should be fired for kneeling during the national anthem, President Donald Trump rescinded two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry’s invitation to the White House via Saturday morning tweet. Seemingly triggered by a Fox & Friends headline that read “Curry wants to skip White House visit,” Trump tweeted a response just 10 minutes later.

Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team.Stephen Curry is hesitating,therefore invitation is withdrawn! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23, 2017

During the Golden State Warriors media day on Friday, Curry, who supported Clinton during the 2016 election, said he would vote against the team visiting the White House, citing his desire to make a statement with his actions.


“We have an opportunity to send a statement that hopefully encourages unity and encourages us to just appreciate what it means to be American” Curry told ESPN. “And stand for something.”

Stephen Curry doesn't hold back on whether he'll vote to visit White House. pic.twitter.com/n2PBAtYQdA — Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) September 22, 2017

Curry isn’t the only athlete on the Warriors who has expressed a desire to not visit the White House. Kevin Durant said in August he wouldn’t either, telling ESPN he “doesn’t respect who is in the White House right now.”

“I don’t agree with what he agrees with, so my voice is going to be heard by not doing that,” said Durant. “That’s just me personally, but if I know my guys well enough, they’ll all agree with me.”


Last week, after Sports Center anchor Jemele Hill tweeted that Trump was a white supremacist, the White House called for her firing.

The president has made a habit of canceling events or disbanding organizations after they fail to show support. After Trump’s “both sides” comments following the violence in Charlottesville, members of his manufacturing council stepped down one by one. Amid the resignations, Trump tweeted he would end both the manufacturing council and another business council to avoid “putting pressure” on the members.

UPDATE: LeBron James tweeted in reply to Trump, calling him a “bum” and explaining that Curry had already said he was not going, which makes it hard to rescind an invitation. He further argued that White House visits were a great honor prior to the current administration.

U bum @StephenCurry30 already said he ain't going! So therefore ain't no invite. Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up! — LeBron James (@KingJames) September 23, 2017

Later Saturday afternoon, Curry’s team, the Golden State Warriors, released a statement about Trump’s tweet. It said that the team had planned to meet that morning to discuss a visit to the White House celebrating their championship year, but that “we accept that President Trump has made it clear that we are not invited.” The team said it would still be going to Washington, D.C., not to the White House, but to “celebrate equality, diversity, and inclusion.”