Dwyane “The Rock” Johnson is the latest person in the sports world to chastise the President of the United States and how he’s handled protesting athletes.
The wrestler, actor, and generally busiest man on the planet sat down with InStyle Magazine for an interview where Johnson covers a variety of subjects, including his own potential run for president. But perhaps the most interesting moment came when Johnson addressed the current president, Donald Trump, and his propensity to clash with athletes of color and their ability to protest police brutality against other people of color.
Trump has lashed out time and time again against athletes who kneel or eschew a visit to the White House for political reasons.
“When the players are kneeling as a last resort, as a desire to be heard, clearly they’re not being heard,” Johnson said. “It’s an opportunity for our leaders, our president and his staff, to hear them, truly hear them, and not be angry.”
Johnson specifically referenced Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry and his scuffle with Trump. Back in September, Curry said he would not visit the White House if the NBA champions were invited to visit. Though they never officially got the invite, Trump claimed to uninvited him shortly after his statements hit cable TV, which sparked another wave of outrage among athletes and sports fans.
That didn’t sit well with Johnson, who is friends with Curry.
“Steph is a very good buddy of mine—I know him and his family. And at the time when he declined the offer, I felt like it was our president’s perfect opportunity to say, ‘Now you must come to the White House and sit down with me, and I must hear you and understand you,’” Johnson said.
“What we’re in need of is a greater leadership that’s inclusive and truly hears the people and doesn’t have a knee-jerk reaction out of anger,” he continued. “Scenarios like this, while divisive, also clarify what we really want in the future. And we’ll have a chance in a few years to cast another vote, and we’ll see where the American people are when that time comes.”
This brings up two questions, one more important than the other. The first is exactly how many good buddies does The Rock have, and the second is will Donald Trump start feuding with The Rock because of this? Because I certainly know who will come out on top in that matchup, and they’re not living on Pennsylvania Avenue, even if they’ve hinted at a potential run for the White House in 2020.
