Charles Barkley says one of the worst things Donald Trump has done is make racism popular again. The NBA legend made the comments during a recent appearance on The Chris Cuomo Project, a podcast hosted by the former CNN anchor.
Video:
I think one of the worst things about Trump, he’s made it popular to be racist,” Barkley said. “There’s no consequences for being racist now. A lot of people are wearing it with a badge of courage. He never denounces it. Nah, he should denounce it. He’s made it more acceptable to be racist.”
Barkley argued that the racism itself is not new. The difference is that people no longer feel they have to keep it to themselves.
“You used to have to be quiet when you were racist. You don’t have to be quiet anymore,” he said. “They were always racist, but they used to be able to hide it. But he’s made it comfortable.”
Cuomo asked how Trump keeps getting away with it from a position that is supposed to carry the most accountability in the country. Barkley pointed to Trump telling a female reporter “Quiet, piggy” in 2025 after she asked him about the Epstein files. He said Trump’s job is to take care of the people.
Barkley said he went into Trump’s first term willing to give him a chance. That patience is clearly gone, and he saved some of his sharpest words for Black people who still back Trump.
“If you’re a Black person and you wearing a Donald Trump mugshot, you are a freaking idiot,” Barkley said. “And I’m only saying freakin’ idiot because they won’t let me say what I really wanna say. But you can figure it out, it starts with an f.”
The shirts he is talking about feature Trump’s 2023 booking photo from Fulton County, Georgia. He was charged there with trying to overturn the 2020 election results. Some Trump supporters turned the mugshot into merchandise and a badge of loyalty.
Democrats did not get off easy either. Barkley went after progressives calling to abolish ICE, police, and prisons.
“Some of these people out here talking about no ICE, no prison, using words like socialism. Like, no, I don’t believe in that,” he said. Wait, wait, no cops? I think that’s some of the stupidest [expletive] I’ve ever heard. What are we gonna do without cops? What are we gonna do without prisons?”
Charles Barkley, 63, has never kept his politics to himself. The Inside the NBA star has switched parties over the years and has a long history of calling out both sides. His latest comments land weeks before the November midterm elections, when control of Congress is on the ballot.
