A US senator ripped LeBron James after the Lakers great criticized NBA general manager Daryl Morey’s tweet supporting Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protesters.

“Having just been in Hong Kong – on the streets & with the protesters – this kind of garbage is hard to take,” tweeted Sen. Josh Hawley, a Missouri Republican. “LeBron, are YOU educated on ‘the situation’? Why don’t you go to Hong Kong? Why don’t you meet the people there risking their lives for their most basic liberties.”

James told reporters on Monday that the controversial tweet from Morey — which was quickly deleted but nonetheless infuriated China’s communist rulers — backing the anti-government protesters was “misinformed.”

“I don’t want to get into a feud with Daryl but I believe he wasn’t educated about the situation at hand and he spoke,” James said.

“So many people could have been harmed, not only financially, but physically, emotionally, spiritually. Just be careful what we tweet … even though, yes, we do have freedom of speech. But there can be a lot of negative that comes with that, too,” he said.

“I just think that, when you’re misinformed or you’re not educated about something – and I’m just talking about the tweet itself – you never know the ramifications that can happen. We all see what that did, not only did for our league but for all of us in America, for people in China as well. Sometimes you have to think through the things that you say that may cause harm not only for yourself but for the majority of people.”

The comments sparked the ire of Hawley, who was one of several senators who recently visited Hong Kong, and a social media backlash against James, considered one of the league’s most prominent voices on social justice issues.

“This statement is unbelievable. ‘So many people could have been harmed’? By Daryl Morey daring to express sympathy for democracy? News flash: people ARE being harmed — shot, beaten, gassed – right now in Hong Kong. By China. By the Communist Party the NBA is so eager to appease,” tweeted Hawley, 39, a Yale Law School grad and the youngest member of the Senate.

James said Morey didn’t consider the financial and other ramifications of supporting the anti-government protesters, who burned his jersey after his comments.

Morey’s tweet — “Fight for freedom. Stand with Hong Kong” — caused a backlash in that country against the Rockets and the NBA, which has financial interests in China worth billions of dollars.

James tried to tweet his way out of the controversy, saying Morey “could have waited a week” instead of tweeting while NBA teams and execs were in China.

“My team and this league just went through a difficult week. I think people need to understand what a tweet or statement can do to others. And I believe nobody stopped and considered what would happen. Could have waited a week to send it,” James tweeted.

“Let me clear up the confusion. I do not believe there was any consideration for the consequences and ramifications of the tweet. I’m not discussing the substance. Others can talk About that,” he added.

Chinese authorities last week canceled publicity events and news conferences and banned the broadcast of an exhibition game between the Brooklyn Nets and Lakers.