Wednesday is Donald Trump‘s invite-only private fundraiser in Houston; it falls on the day after his criminal trial in New York. One of the billionaires hosting the dinner is NBA owner Tilman Fertitta, according to a fundraising flyer that MeidasTouch was able to secure.
Despite Trump’s past attacks on NBA players, the wealthy owner of the Houston Rockets is raising money for the politician.
Donald Trump and his racist attacks on athletes
NBA players and other athletes who participated in nonviolent protests against racism and police brutality were targeted by Trump. LeBron James has also been the target of numerous attacks from Trump. An opinion piece about Trump’s attacks on James and other Black celebrities was published by CNN in 2018.
The newspaper reported that Trump had a “pattern of attacking well-known African-Americans as having ‘low IQs’ or being of low intelligence …parroting the white nationalist view that blacks are inherently less intelligent than whites.”
This month, Trump has even disparaged LeBron James. The roster of the Houston Rockets has reportedly been impacted by Trump’s remarks. Because of Fertitta’s backing of Trump, James Harden, a player for the Rockets, reportedly asked to be traded to the Nets, according to Fox News.
Trump’s attacks on athletes would undoubtedly continue if he is re-elected. An NBA owner would think that he wouldn’t publicly back his attempt to reclaim control.
As if that weren’t enough of a motive, Fertitta has become exponentially wealthier under President Biden.