The biggest decision of the NBA summer was brought up in the White House. Once LeBron James announced the decision to join the Philadelphia 76ers, it spread like wildfire. Donald Trump was asked to weigh in on the GOAT debate after a reporter brought up James’ big announcement on Friday morning.

“Well, Michael Jordan’s a guy that’s a friend of mine,” said Trump. “Play golf with him, he’s a really good guy.”

Before admitting, “I don’t know, but — I only like people that like me, so I would say Michael Jordan all the way.”

The POTUS claimed to enjoy the company of Michael Jordan, who remains apolitical. And there are multiple reasons, instances, and back-and-forths between LeBron James and Trump, which clearly outline the 22x All-Star not liking Trump.

Over the years, LeBron James has been vocal about his endorsement of Democratic presidential candidates, including Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012. It continued with Hillary Clinton in 2016, Joe Biden in 2020, and Kamala Harris in 2024. In fact, the new Sixers star has been a vocal critic of Donald Trump as well.

Infamously, Bron called Trump a “bum” after he disinvited the Warriors from the White House. It’s been a long-standing tradition where NBA teams visit the White House, but no team has made the visit during Trump’s tenure.

LeBron James even went on record previously and called out Trump for dividing the country and making “hate fashionable again”.

In August 2018, after LeBron James criticised Trump in a CNN interview with Don Lemon (discussing race, sports unity, and his I Promise School). Trump would fire back with a tweet.

“Lebron James was just interviewed by the dumbest man on television, [CNN anchor] Don Lemon,” Trump tweeted. “He made Lebron look smart, which isn’t easy to do. I like Mike!”

So, the clear preference for Michael Jordan in the GOAT debate is not new. In 2020, Trump reiterated his preference for Jordan over LeBron during a radio interview, stating Jordan “wasn’t political so people like him better”.

In 2026, Trump is still choosing Michael Jordan over LeBron James. Now, The Athletic reached out to both James and Jordan’s representatives for a comment, but the former declined, while there was no response from the latter.

MJ’s support for LeBron James

There is no secret that the James vs Jordan debate continues to divide opinions. But there is no hate between the two. It was visible after the 2018 incident involving Trump and Bron after the CNN interview. The POTUS stated, “I like Mike!” and the 6x NBA champion issued a statement.

“I support LeBron James. He’s doing an amazing job for his community,” referring to James’ I Promise School for at-risk children in Akron.

Over the years, Michael Jordan has historically avoided overt political endorsements or statements. He found himself in trouble for famously quipping, “Republicans buy sneakers too,” in 1990 when asked about supporting a Democratic Senate candidate. But the NBA icon later clarified it was in jest.

In fact, Jordan’s representatives have repeatedly denied claims that he endorsed Donald Trump (or any candidate) in recent elections, including 2024. Even stating that there is “absolutely no truth” to such reports, consistent with his preference for staying out of partisan politics.