NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley was not pleased with former President Trump’s words this week, and he issued a warning to anyone who might be on his side. Trump spoke Friday in Columbia, South Carolina, where he claimed his mugshot and indictments appeal to African-American voters. “You know who embraced more than anyone else? “The Black population,” Trump informed the audience. “This is wonderful. You see Black people strolling around with my mugshot? You know they wear shirts.” Barkley sighed deeply when he spoke with Gayle King of CNN.
“That was an insult to every Black person”
“First of all, I’m just gonna say this,” he began. “If I see a Black person walking around with a Trump mugshot, I’m gonna punch him in the face.” King immediately attempted to shut it down, stating, “You don’t mean that.” Barkley was quick to respond. “Oh, I mean that sincerely!” he exclaimed. When King stated Barkley would be arrested if that happened, he didn’t mind the possibility. “I’m gonna bail myself out and go celebrate,” Barkley joked, as the audience laughed. “First of all, if I was at that [conference], I would’ve got up and walked out,” he said.
“That was an insult to every Black person. To compare Black history, where we have been discriminated against, to his situation.” Barkley said that he did not believe Trump compared himself to Black people after being detained and indicted. “It’s not a fair comparison,” he said. “He’s a billionaire, he’s had a great life, he’s been President of the United States. To insult Black people who have been discriminated against all these years and put them in the same category, I was just offended.”
