Charles Barkley Warns Donald Trump Has Made Racism Popular, Says 'There's No Consequences' Now

During an appearance on "The Chris Cuomo Project," NBA legend and Inside the NBA analyst Charles Barkley criticized President Donald Trump, saying one of the worst things about him is that his rhetoric has normalized racism.

“I think one of the worst things about Trump, he’s made it popular to be racist. 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 said.

He went on to add that while racists "used to have to be quiet" and hide their views, they now feel "confident and comfortable" because Trump fails to denounce them.

True to his image as an equal-opportunity critic, Barkley also used his time on the podcast to slam the Democratic Party. In the very same interview, he called out far-left progressives over slogans to abolish ICE or defund the police, calling those ideas "some of the stupidest s--- I’ve ever heard.”

Cuomo asked Barkley about a specific incident in which Trump yelled, "Quiet, piggy!" at Bloomberg White House correspondent Catherine Lucey. Barkley used this to highlight what he views as a glaring political double standard.

"Can you imagine President Obama saying that to a white woman? Call her Miss Piggy? If President Obama called a white woman Miss Piggy, America would be up in arms,” Barkley said.

Barkley spoke candidly about his perspective on race and systemic history in America, clarifying that while he acknowledges the reality of racism, he pushes back against using historical trauma to define the community's potential.

"I'm not one of those Black people who hangs on to slavery – I don't blame White America for every ill of the Black community. I don't do that. I'm not gonna play the victim card. I think too many Black people play the victim card,” he admitted.

Barkley argued that the American political system functions by keeping regular people at each other's throats.

He noted that wealthy and powerful people benefit when ordinary Americans divide themselves over race, immigration and party lines, as it distracts from resolving structural issues like rising costs and medical care access.

Barkley has been a vocal critic of Trump for years.

While he occasionally gives credit or urges patience — such as in 2016 when he admitted to being "in shock" over the election results but publicly urged Americans to give the president-elect a chance — his commentary has grown significantly harsher over time.

Speaking on CNN in 2024, Barkley initially stated he would "punch any Black person" he saw walking around wearing merchandise of Trump’s mugshot.

“Obviously, I’m not going to go around punching random strangers... But when Donald Trump compares his plight with that of the Black person, that is what I had a problem with... If you’re a Black person and you're wearing a Donald Trump mugshot, you are a freaking idiot,” he said.