San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, long one of President Donald Trump’s greatest critics in the sporting world, delivered a violent speech against Trump on Thursday, the day after the President’s supporters invaded the United States Capitol .
Speaking to reporters ahead of Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Popovich spoke at length about the deadly riot in DC. He blamed Trump for feeding the vitriol that led to the attack and called for his removal from office.
Popovich also criticized Vice President Mike Pence and Senators Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley and Lindsey Graham for empowering Trump over his four years in office. The Associated Press’s Tim Reynolds posted a meat transcript of Popovich’s response:
“He is incapable. He’s incompetent, ”Popovich said of Trump. “He is unable to care. And it is sad because he is a crazy individual, really imperfect, but he is also dangerous. That’s why I don’t think it’s so unlikely that people will start talking about the 25th Amendment. “
Popovich even speculated that Trump liked to watch the turmoil and questioned the lack of preparation by the Capitol police.
“I wholeheartedly believe that Trump liked it,” said Popovich. “And they talked about the police and how easy it was and the barriers were removed and they just went in. This does not happen unless there is a wink and a nod somewhere. It just doesn’t happen. This has never happened in any protest that anyone has ever been to. “
Popovich’s speculation is supported by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, who tweeted that White House officials were shaken by Trump’s “enthusiastic” reaction to seeing his supporters invade the Capitol.
During the attack, Trump tweeted requests for for his supporters to remain peaceful, but also to reaffirm the belief that the election was stolen from him. Towards the end of the attack, he released a video telling them to go home, but also sympathizing with them and calling it “very special”.
The attack resulted in at least four deaths and dozens of prisoners, according to DC officials, as well as the resignation of Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund.
‘I’m ashamed to be an American and people see what they saw yesterday ”, said Popovich, a veteran of the US Air Force. Later, he participated in a pre-game demonstration with Spurs and Lakers players, arm in arm during the national anthem:
Riot scenes generated condemnation across the NBA, both for the surreal nature of the Capitol being taken over by violent insurgents and for the double standard of how black protesters are treated compared to the overwhelming white crowd in DC
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