These Championship-Winning Athletes Declined Their Invitations To The White House And They Have Their Reasons

Skipping an honorary visit to the White House after winning a championship or competing in the Olympics is nothing new. The problem is, until 2017, no one seemed to care. In the last two years sports has become so political that when an athlete declines an invitation to the White House, they must explain why. In some extreme cases, the President even disinvites entire teams for their apparent lack of respect. So which athletes are saying no and what are their reasons? We have the answers and it’s not all politics!

Stephen Curry Never Wanted An Invite Anyway

Photo Credit: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

The Stephen Curry and President Trump feud dates back to 2017 when Trump publicly uninvited Curry and the Warriors from their White House visit. This happened after Curry said, “we don’t stand for basically what our President has [done].”

Trump didn’t wait long to respond via Twitter, “Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team. Stephen Curry is hesitating, therefore invitation is withdrawn!” In 2018, before the NBA Finals even started, Both Curry and LeBron James pre-emptively declined invitations. Since then, many athletes have followed suit.