In November, a former NBA player who has openly and proudly endorsed former President Donald Trump will face off against progressive Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).
After a close contest against retired Navy officer Joe Fraser, Royce White—who resigned in 2014 and currently plays semi-professionally in the lower leagues—won the Republican primary on Tuesday night. In the very blue state that was heading Trump’s way prior to Vice President Kamala Harris entering the contest, he will now face off against Klobuchar. Nevertheless, White may rely on his lucrative career as a Sacramento Kings player to potentially generate the necessary national finances; Fox News reports that he has only $53,000 in cash on hand going into the general election, compared to Sen. Klobuchar’s war chest over $12 million.
White, 33, who bills himself as a “MAGA extremist,” received the Minnesota Republican Party’s endorsement and has made a number of high-profile court appearances to discuss his political views. He showed up at a BIG3 basketball game in Brooklyn on July 7, 2023, with the phrase “Trump Won!” plastered on the left side of his shaved head, alluding to rumors that President Trump had won the election. Given that the game was nationally broadcast on CBS, White was undoubtedly aware that this would draw a lot of attention to his vocal stance.
The presidential campaign staff promptly emphasized the demonstration of backing.
No lies detected! pic.twitter.com/uCD7fwd3O5
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) July 9, 2023
With President Trump’s approval as well, MAGA contributors nationwide should closely consider contributing to White’s campaign. He joins Arizonan candidate Kari Lake, Ohio’s Bernie Moreno, and Michigan businessman Mike Rogers as hard-right Republican Senate nominees seeking to support a second Trump administration.
White is not a first-time candidate for office either. The power forward lost the primary election when she ran as a Republican for Congress in Minnesota’s Fifth Congressional District, which is home to “Squad” member Ilhan Omar. Tuesday’s Democratic primary saw Rep. Omar defeat a more centrist opponent.
Sen. Klobuchar is the first female senator from the state, having been elected in 2006. Her loftier goals, though, such as her presidential race in 2020, when she showed a darker, angrier side in interactions with her staff, would provide White with talking points during the campaign. The first-round selection from 2012 has already started laying the foundation for his comparison to the aristocratic Democrat as being more approachable. He has openly discussed his Generalized Anxiety Disorder and intense phobia of flying, opting to take the bus to games instead of flying. Before entering the Canadian professional league in 2017 and then going semiprofessional with the Big3 league, he took a break from playing professional basketball.
In the liberal basketball community, White is a contrarian, as more sports celebrities have been using their platforms to further political issues in recent years. He has criticized China for the Uyghur genocide and used his celebrity to promote his theory that the United States studied the coronavirus’s “gain of function” in order to strengthen the virus’s potential as a biological weapon.
In remarks regarding the 2024 presidential contest, White expressed support for a fictitious ticket that would pair President Trump with Democratic nominee Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. for vice president. He supported RFK’s claim in a tweet that the country’s spy services were responsible for his uncle, the late President John F. Kennedy,’s murder.
WATCH:
Protect RFK Jr — As long as the security state and deep state are not held to account for their role in the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the entire nation suffers from copious amounts of moral hazard. This is how we have to view his candidacy and safety. Trump/Kennedy 2024! pic.twitter.com/Ssx6ACDpbs
— Royce White 🇺🇸 (@Highway_30) July 6, 2023
