Stephen Jackson slams Trump’s George Floyd comments: ‘You will not be re-elected’
The former NBA star made it clear he was not pleased with the president evoking his friend during a Friday press conference
Former NBA player Stephen Jackson was close friends with George Floyd, and has publicly spoken on the behalf of and in support of Floyd’s family. Following comments about Floyd made by President Donald Trump, Jackson took to social media to express his displeasure.
The president had evoked Floyd’s name during a June 5 press conference where he praised the country’s rebounding economy. “This is a great day for him. It’s a great day for everybody,” the president said.
“Hopefully George is looking down right now and saying this is a great thing that’s happening for our country.”
READ MORE: Stephen Jackson joins rally in Minneapolis to honor his ‘brother’ George Floyd
Watch: Trump invokes George Floyd's name in praise of U.S. jobs report https://t.co/9NprVXHtIK pic.twitter.com/3IPPtXqZ62
— TIME (@TIME) June 5, 2020
Floyd was killed on May 25 after Minneapolis police held him down and an officer put his knee on Floyd’s neck for over eight minutes.
Jackson, who had fostered his longtime friendship with Floyd in their native Houston, Texas, issued a video statement, via Instagram, directed to the president, saying, “Don’t speak on my brother’s name.”
READ MORE: George Floyd’s smiling daughter, 6, says ‘daddy changed the world’
The 14-year NBA veteran and 2003 champion with the San Antonio Spurs, used the video to tell the president his days in the White House are numbered.
“You will not be in the White House come November. You will not be re-elected, I’m telling you now,” Jackson said. “See how the whole world stood together? Arm to arm, race to race, everybody standing for love? That’s what me and my brother Floyd did.”
Jackson stated that the George Floyd protests were proof of the world and country’s shared desire to have the president replaced. “Just know, the 18 countries and 50 states that protested, we’re coming to get you out the White House. Stay tuned,” he said.
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