Trump calls for WNBA boycott over anthem performances, warns teams will ‘destroy themselves’

Trump’s efforts to lower diesel prices are getting more expensive as the election nears The WNBA Finals drew attention for its basketball, but the two teams’ pregame routine became a political flashpoint. The Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries players walked off the court before the national anthem in each of the first three games of their best-of-seven series, drawing criticism from President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and some fans. With Game 4 looming, the league has yet to publicly address the controversy.

Trump calls on fans to boycott women’s basketball

Trump made the comments about the walkouts during a rally in Iowa on Thursday, Oct. 1, as he campaigned for Republican candidates ahead of the midterm elections. He compared the actions of the WNBA players to the NFL protests a decade earlier, when some players knelt during the national anthem to protest police brutality.“By the way, what’s going on with the women’s NBA? What’s the point? They’re going to get destroyed before they start because they just started doing good…,” Trump said, according to a video shared on X by conservative influencer Nick Sortor.The president then questioned why the players were leaving the court while the national anthem was playing and called on people to stop watching women’s basketball unless the teams changed their regime.“It’s a big deal. They’re leaving the court when the national anthem is playing. What’s the point?” Trump said. “The NFL did that for a while and stopped because people stopped watching the games. So I think you should do the same thing with women’s basketball.”He repeated the comparison and called for a boycott if the players did not stay on the field during the anthem.The criticism followed comments by vice president JD Vance, who described the players’ behavior as “disgraceful” during an interview with Raymond Arroyo. Vance said the players “have a lot to be thankful for to the United States, and I think if they had a little more of a spirit of gratitude, they’d be happier people and they wouldn’t offend so many people.

Why teams leave the court

The shutouts came before all three games of the finals, with the Valkyries holding a 2-1 series lead. OutKick reporter Dan Zaksheske shared videos of the team walkouts and contacted the league, Atlanta and Golden State for clarification, but received no response.Zaksheske described the scene before Game 1: “Both teams were on the floor beforehand, warming up for the game, then disappeared for about two minutes before performing the ‘Star-Spangled Banner.’Speaking to reporters before Game 2, Golden State guard Veronica Burton said the court absence was part of the team’s established routine rather than a new political statement.“We’ve been doing it. That’s just our pregame routine. We’ve been doing it since last year,” Burton said in response to a reporter’s suggestion that the walkout was political.Atlanta last publicly spoke with its anthem in 2020, when Sen said the anthem “does not represent liberty, justice and freedom for all Americans.” The teams have not commented publicly on the current controversy, and the WNBA has also remained silent.

What the WNBA rules say and what’s next

League rules state that players, coaches and trainers “shall stand and line up in a dignified position along the sidelines or foul line during the playing of the national anthem.” The wording does not make it clear whether the requirement applies to everyone on the team or only to those already on the field.The WNBA suspended enforcement of its anthem protocols in 2017 after players and coaches sought to show solidarity with victims of violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, following a white nationalist rally. The Associated Press reported that the league’s protocols were suspended, despite the wording of the rules.Teams also walked off the court before the anthem during the 2020 season, which the WNBA dedicated to Breonna Taylor, who was killed in her home in Louisville, Kentucky. The Atlanta Game notes that August included messages from the players’ union explaining the anthem protests. Many teams continued to leave the court before the anthem in subsequent seasons, often as part of their pregame routine or in connection with social justice issues.The controversy now follows a Game 4 final scheduled for Oct. 24, 2026 at State Farm Arena. The Valkyries lead the series 2-1 as teams, the league and fans await further response to Trump’s call for a boycott.