Retired NBA star Charles Barkley is “offended” that former President Donald Trump claimed he has been “embraced” by black voters after his arrest.
Trump stirred controversy when he spoke at the Black Conservative Federation’s honors gala over remarks he made while receiving a “Champion of Black America” award at the Feb. 23 event.
During the lengthy speech, Trump said he had gained traction with black Americans after being indicted four times and charged with 91 felonies.
“I got indicted for nothing, for something that is nothing,” he said at the South Carolina event.
Charles Barkley goes on @CNN and says he will viciously assault black Americans who wear a Trump shirt and CNN’s host @GayleKing laughs it off.
If a Republican went on TV and said this about black Biden voters, their career would be destroyed in 24 hours. pic.twitter.com/pkfYZtxjm2
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) March 5, 2024
“And a lot of people said that’s why the Black people like me, because they have been hurt so badly and discriminated against, and they actually viewed me as I’m being discriminated against,” he added. “It’s been pretty amazing but possibly, maybe, there’s something there.”
Trump said that his popularity surged after he was arrested in Fulton County, Georgia, for allegedly attempting to overturn the state’s 2020 presidential election results.
“When I did the mug shot in Atlanta, that mug shot is No. 1,” he remarked. “You know who embraced it more than anyone else? The Black population.”
‘It’s incredible,” Trump continued. “Black people walking around with my mugshots!”
Barkley, who hosts CNN’s “King Charles” with Gayle King, was less than amused by ex-president’s assertion, and threatened to hit anyone he sees carrying the infamous mugshot around.
“First of all, I’m just gonna say this: if I see a black person walking around with Trump’s mugshot, I’m gonna punch him in the face,” he began.
King told Barkley that if he followed through on his threat, he would be arrested for assault.
“I will bail myself out and go celebrate,” he shot back.
Barkley said that if he was at the gala he would have “walked out” after hearing Trump’s commentary.
“That was an insult to all black people,” he stated. “To compare black history, when we’ve been discriminated against, to his plight – first of all he’s a billionaire, and they’re prosecuting him for stuff he did wrong.”
Barkley did note that “some of the stuff” Trump is being accused of “is true.”
“They did storm the capital, they did say that the election was stolen,” the former Phoenix Suns’ star added. “Those aren’t lies Gayle.”
He said that Trump comparing himself to black people is not “fair.”
“He’s a billionaire, he’s had a great life. He’s been President of the United States,” Barkley pointed out.
“To insult black people who have been discriminated against all these years, to put them in the same category… I was just offended,” he concluded.
Trump told several jokes during his speech at the event, including several that were related to race.
“The lights are so bright in my eyes I can’t see too many people out there. But I can only see the Black ones. I can’t see any white ones. That’s how far I’ve come,” he quipped to chuckles from the audience.
He also suggested that the people attending the event, who were “hundreds of proud, Black, conservative American patriots,” would be “Crooked Joe Biden’s absolute worst nightmare.”
The 45th president also took a shot at former President Barack Obama, when he told the audience about how he renegotiated the cost of remodeling Air Force One way down from the price his predecessor had originally agreed on.
“I have to tell you, Black president, but I got $1.7 billion less. Would you rather have the Black president or the white president who got $1.7 billion off the price?” He questioned.
“I think they want the white guy,” Trump added when the audience cheered for him.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre blasted the ex-president on Monday, ironically, while speaking to reporters on Air Force One.
“It is repugnant and divisive to traffic in racist stereotypes that have the effect of tearing all Americans down,” she commented about his remarks.
“It is profane to compare the long, painful history of abuse and discrimination suffered by Black Americans to something totally different.”
However, Black Conservative Federation President Diante Johnson disagrees with her assessment.
“Black Americans are waking up to the reality that the Democratic Party has taken advantage of them, and the media and the party are terrified,” Johnson said on Monday
“No amount of media deception or liberal race-baiting will sway the minds of Black voters who will cast their ballots this November for safer streets, a better financial well-being, a secure border, and a complete rejection of Joe Biden’s disastrous tenure.”