Nationwide — President Donald Trump was in Asia last week, and during his stop in China, he asked the country’s General Secretary to release three UCLA basketball players who had been detained for shoplifting.
It was a notable move until Trump did what he usually does. He started tweeting arrogantly about it.
He tweeted:
Do you think the three UCLA Basketball Players will say thank you President Trump? They were headed for 10 years in jail!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 15, 2017
The tweet, like many of his others, triggered a backlash of negative responses – especially from the African American community.
But the three players, LiAngelo Ball, Jalen Hill and Cody Riley, actually all did do a press conference on UCLA campus with their coach. Not only did they apologize for their “dumb” mistake, but they also thanked Trump.
“I’d like to thank President Trump and the United States government for the help that they provided us as well,” Ball said. And the others pretty much followed suit.
It was then announced at the press conference that the players would not be kicked off the team, but would be indefinitely suspended.
UCLA had traveled to China as part of the Pac-12’s global initiative which seeks to popularize the league’s athletic programs and universities overseas.
Watch the press conference below: