Team USA captain LeBron James continues to support his fellow Black athletes during the 2024 Olympic Games. When Simone Biles appeared to mock Donald Trump on X (formerly Twitter), James quickly defended her and showed his solidarity.
For context, Simone Biles, hailed as the greatest gymnast of all time, clinched the all-around gold in women's artistic gymnastics at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Thursday.
She had already helped Team USA secure gold earlier in the week. These achievements have cemented Biles' extraordinary status in modern artistic gymnastics, with more potential victories on the horizon in individual events.
Simone Biles and LeBron James taking a shot at Donald Trump
Following her gold medal wins, Biles took a subtle shot at former President Donald Trump. Ricky Davila posted on X: “Simone Biles being the GOAT, winning Gold medals and dominating gymnastics is her black job,” referencing Trump's remarks about migrants “taking Black jobs.”
Biles quote-tweeted Davila, adding, “I love my black job.”
Simone Biles' remark was a swift response to Trump's comments at the National Association of Black Journalists annual convention. LeBron James showed his approval by quote-tweeting Biles with “Black [goat emoji].”
Simone Biles and LeBron James in the Olympics
On Thursday, Biles clinched her sixth Olympic gold medal, marking her second gold at the Paris Games.
Her stellar performances have maintained her dominance in gymnastics, eight years after her initial all-around title in Rio de Janeiro. She joins a select group of women who have claimed the sport’s highest honor more than once, further cementing her status as the most decorated gymnast in history.
James has shined at these Olympics, steering Team USA to an undefeated record in both exhibition and group games. He has also become the third player in U.S. basketball history to exceed 300 points in Olympic competitions, joining Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony.
LeBron James long-time feud with Trump
This may be the first time that Biles has clapped back against Trump, but James has had several run-ins with the former president. Their conflict began in 2017 when Stephen Curry declined the invitation to visit the White House during Trump's term. In response, Trump rescinded the invitations, prompting a sharp rebuke from James.
“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!” James said in support of Curry.
Since then, Trump and James have clashed frequently. Trump has repeatedly said he prefers Michael Jordan over James and has called James a “hater” of his campaign, even taking jabs at James’s I Promise initiative.
During the 2020 Orlando bubble, James openly backed Biden and Kamala Harris, and he has remained firm in his stance ever since.
Also in 2020, James criticized Trump for impeding national progress and claimed the NBA was better off without his endorsement. In response, Trump has fired back with harsh comments, even labeling LeBron as the sport's “biggest b**ch.”
Simone Biles will return to competition on Saturday, where she'll compete in the vault. James will hit the court next on Sunday, as Team USA takes on Puerto Rico.
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