Like the general population, American athletes are divided as the presidential elections approach. Some stars have decided to publicly encourage Donald Trump, others Kamala Harris. Here’s a look at the main endorsements given to the candidates.
Basketball player Steph Curry made a surprise appearance at the Democratic convention, supporting Harris in a short video. The Golden State Warriors star, with an Olympic gold medal around his neck, said he was counting on the Democratic candidate to bring unity to the country. Warriors coach Steve Kerr also took the stage at the big party rally.
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In return, the Republicans could also count on big names from the sporting world to galvanize the troops. Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan appeared on stage at their convention, as did UFC President Dana White.
Trump can also count on the famous YouTuber turned boxer Jake Paul among his supporters. He shared an 18-minute video on Thursday, calling on his fellow citizens to vote for Trump.
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Hulk Hogan spoke at the Democratic rally at Madison Square Garden on October 27.
Photo : Reuters / Andrew Kelly
If Trump seems to be popular in combat sports, Harris is popular with basketball players. LeBron James has not hidden his intention to vote for the Democratic candidate and has not hesitated to criticize Donald Trump in the past.
James founded the organization More Than a Votein 2020, to encourage African-Americans to make their electoral voices heard. The project was taken up by WNBA player Nneka Ogwumike, now president of the players’ union. The Seattle Storm, for which Ogwumike plays, has also publicly given its support to Kamala Harris.
The current vice president also visited the American national team before their participation in the Paris Olympics, where the United States won gold.
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Kamala Harris visited the American team a few days before taking over from Joe Biden as candidate.
Photo: Reuters / Kevin Lamarque
Some will take their activism off the field. Former Green Bay Packers glory Brett Favre participated in a Donald Trump rally in Wisconsin, six days before the vote. Former Pittsburgh Steelers Le’Veon Bell, Antonio Brown and Mike Wallace did the same during a partisan event in Pennsylvania.
Nick Bosa of the San Francisco 49ers faces a possible penalty from the league after violating a rule preventing players from displaying political messages on the field. He interrupted a post-match interview, pointing to his cap bearing the Trumpist slogan Make America Great Againlast week.
The NFL and politics constitute an explosive mixture, since the knee brought to the ground by Colin Kaepernick during the performance of the American national anthem before the matches, in 2016, a gesture made to denounce racism in the United States. Trump then called for Koepernick’s dismissal, plunging the country into a deep debate.
Discretion on the ice
National Hockey League players have been more discreet about their intentions. Hall of Famer Teemu Selanne told a Finnish media outlet that he would vote for Donald Trump. The former Anaheim Ducks star, born in Helsinki, recently obtained American citizenship.
Angela Price, the spouse of former Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price, mentioned on her social networks that she also favored Trump.
Although I believe Trump would be a strong leader for our country, I was also impressed by [J.D.] Vance and his potential. As for the possibility of Kamala becoming the first female president, I have my reservations. I envision our first female president as a powerful, intelligent and capable person who will have a lasting impact. Unfortunately, I don’t think Kamala embodies those qualities, Angela Price said when asked if she would vote for Donald Trump, adding that she had already done so.
Vegas Golden Knights star Jack Eichel also attended the Republican convention last September.
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The battle of the donors
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has personally donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the campaigns of various Democratic candidates, including Kamala Harris.
The NFL commissioner didn’t donate to either campaign this election, but some NFL owners did. This is the case for David Tepper (Carolina Panthers), Rob Walton (Denver Broncos) and Woody Johnson (New York Jets), who have replenished Republican coffers in recent months.
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Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr supports the Democratic Party.
Photo : Reuters / Mike Blake
Multi-billionaire Miriam Adelson, who bought the Dallas Mavericks in 2023, set up a political action committee, which she financed to the tune of $100 million, in favor of Trump.
The founder of the Home Depot chain and owner of the Atlanta Falcons, Arthur Blank, has made donations to Harris and the Democrats.
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Stars from the music world are also getting involved in the issue.
Sports figures are not the only ones to speak publicly about the American elections. Several members of the artistic and cultural community have done the same in recent months.
It remains to be seen whether this time they will be able to tilt the score in favor of one or the other of the two teams.
With information from New York Times
