Donald Trump says WNBA stars will ‘hurt themselves’ because of talks about the US anthem and ‘trans girls’ issues.
Donald Trump said that WNBA players will “destroy themselves” because they’ve been leaving the court during the US national anthem. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez pushed back, especially about his treatment of “trans girls in sports.”
Trump’s boycott idea came after the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries walked off the court several times during the WNBA Finals, something he talked about at a rally. He warned that athletes in the league might “destroy themselves,” comparing it to when NFL players started kneeling during the anthem to protest racism, which spread to other sports.
ABC points out that walking off during the anthem isn’t against any WNBA rules since those rules were dropped years ago. But Trump still wants his supporters to stop watching the women’s league. He said the NFL stopped kneeling protests because fans stopped watching, so he thinks the same should happen with women’s basketball unless they change.
“What’s going on with the women’s NBA? What’s that about? They’re just starting to do well, but they leave the court during the anthem,” Trump said. He also mentioned Caitlin Clark, a star player who’s helping the WNBA grow. Though Clark hasn’t publicly supported Trump, he seems to admire her. Her team, the Indiana Fever, has stayed on the court during the anthem, as has the Minnesota Lynx.
Trump’s comments aren’t just about the anthem protests. He’s also joined the heated debate about ‘trans girls in sports,’ which led to a response from Ocasio-Cortez. She accused Trump of trying to “shred the constitution” with his actions.
Back in February 2025, Trump signed an order, ‘Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,’ threatening to cut federal funding from schools that allow transgender girls to play on female teams. Additionally, one of Clark’s teammates, Sophie Cunningham, recently made some ‘anti-trans’ remarks, and Trump supported her at a rally earlier this October.
“You have a lot of men wanting to go and watch her. She’s beautiful,” Trump said. “But politicians aren’t allowed to say that anymore. Saying a woman is beautiful can end a politician’s career these days.”
Ocasio-Cortez responded by saying Trump’s focus isn’t really just about trans girls, but about all girls. She explained that the attacks target Title IX, a federal law that bans sex-based discrimination in schools.
“What the Trump administration is doing by targeting trans people is pushing people to support cutting civil rights in education,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “When they attack trans girls in sports, they’re also attacking all women’s rights to stand up against abuse on campuses across America. Our fight is connected.”
She added, “I support the rights of trans people not just to protect myself, but because I believe in bodily autonomy for all. But we won’t destroy the Constitution, kill Title IX, or cut healthcare just to attack 3% of the U.S. population.”
For more, check out the latest on WNBA star Sophie Cunningham’s recent hot take on a Sydney Sweeney ad controversy.