Trump-Harris presidential election drama seeps into sports world: Which figures have spoken out?

The 2024 presidential election cycle has been among the most heated in recent memory with supporters of both candidates making their voices known.

The Republican nominee, former President Trump, put it succinctly in a recent interview: “This is more exciting than any football game,” he said of Election Day on the “Let’s Go!” podcast with Jim Gray and Bill Belichick.

Both Trump and the Democrat nominee, Vice President Harris, have made their impact well known across the United States. The political discourse has seeped into the sports realm over the last few months as well.

Read below for some of the major sports figures who have made endorsements this election season.

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LeBron James

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James endorsed Harris for president and posted a video on his X account making misleading comparisons between Trump and Nazism and the KKK.

“I wanted to make sure it was seen, heard, and heard with force,” James said of his decision to share the video after his return to Cleveland on Wednesday. 

“Having a daughter, having a wife, having a mother and things of that nature, what [Harris] believes in when it comes to women’s rights, that’s what the future with my kids and where I see our country should be. I feel like that endorsement is only right. I mean, come on, you guys know me. It damn sure wasn’t going the other way.”

Stephen Curry

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry was awestruck when he met Harris as part of the USA men’s basketball team before they went to Paris for the Olympics this past summer. He later endorsed Harris at the Democratic National Convention in August.

“I believe Kamala as president will bring that unity back and continue to move our country forward,” Curry said.

Steve Kerr

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has largely been an anti-Donald Trump critic. He also appeared at the DNC to endorse Harris. 

“I’ll be getting out every day to help people get out to vote on Nov. 5 and elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz as the next president and vice president of the United States,” Kerr told the crowd. 

“After the results are tallied that night, we can, in the words of the great Steph Curry, we can tell Donald Trump, ‘Night, night!’”

Gregg Popovich

San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich railed against Trump in a near 15-minute rant at the end of October when he was asked about the presidential election.

“He’s a pathetic individual. He’s a small man who has to make everybody around him smaller so he thinks he’s going to be bigger,” Popovich said. “And isn’t that the same thing we tell all of our kids in grade school? That’s not how you act. That’s not what you do.”

After declaring that Harris won their only debate and railing against some of Trump’s biggest supporters, including Sens. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Josh Hawley, R-Mo., he offered a warning.

“Now, the danger follows the delusion, and our kids and grandkids are going to have to live with what this guy puts out there,” he said.

“I’m just hoping people who are already sold on him for whatever reason, I can’t figure it out. … The ones that stay home and don’t vote are the ones that worry me because we need everybody to vote. I hope that they won’t stay home, that they’ll understand that this guy is a scam artist. He’s great at it. I’ll give him credit for that. He’s the best ever, but he makes you want to puke.”

Popovich also said he couldn’t wrap his head around why young college-aged kids were in support of Trump.

“What does he say or do that they want to vote for him? They must think he’s a strong guy,” he added. “This is the biggest whiner that ever walked the face of the Earth. He’s like the poorest example of a fifth-grade bully I’ve ever seen. I mean, would you want your kids to act like he does?”

Harrison Butker

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker came out in support of Trump and Hawley in October.

“I’m supporting the president that’s going to be the most pro-life president, and I think Donald Trump is the most pro-life president,” Butker said on “The Ingraham Angle.”

“That’s a topic that is the most crucial topic for me. I want us to be fighting for the most vulnerable, fighting for the unborn, and that’s what we should prioritize.”

Danica Patrick

Former NASCAR and IndyCar star Danica Patrick expressed her support for Trump in the election. She revealed on “Jesse Watters Primetime” that she cast a vote in a presidential election for the first time this year.

“It feels like voting for Donald Trump is like the vote of reason. It’s like the rational, reasonable choice,” Patrick said.

Patrick said she attended America Fest in Phoenix late last year and that it reinforced her love for the country.

“There were so many great speakers, and I posted some pictures afterwards,” she said about attending the event. “Of course, it was very red, white and blue. Red is also my favorite color, and I basically just said I love this country. AMFEST, America Fest, I love this country, seems like the place to be. It just drew so much media attention.”

Megan Rapinoe

Megan Rapinoe made her focus clear during the election cycle. She wanted protection for transgender people. She then took a swipe at what she believes would happen with another Trump presidency.

“I also think we have a really amazing opportunity to elect a Black woman in this country. And for me that is really important,” Rapinoe said.

“It is stressful. I am nervous, but I also am hopeful. I believe in people, and I certainly believe in women, and I believe that people want better than the grim, dark, just violent reality that Donald Trump has very clearly laid out for us. He’s telling everybody what he’s going to do, and it’s really dark, and it’s really sad, and I don’t think anybody wants to live like that.”

Brett Favre

Pro Football Hall of Famer Brett Favre has voiced support for Trump in the past. But he took it to the next level when he stumped for Trump at a campaign rally in Wisconsin.

“Much like the Packers organization, Donald Trump and his organization is a winner,” Favre said. “The United States of America won with his leadership.”

Thomas Hearns

Boxing Hall of Famer Thomas Hearns was invited to the stage during a Trump rally in Detroit. Trump praised Hearns and said he was one of the best fighters he’s ever seen.

“Hearing those nice words coming from you, man, this can’t be real. … Hearing it come from you, I’m very excited. I want to fight now,” he said.

Lawrence Taylor & Ottis Anderson

Lawrence Taylor and Ottis Anderson were among the New York Giants greats who appeared at Trump’s Wildwood, New Jersey, rally in May. At the time, attendees were hopeful Trump could turn New Jersey red. But since then, Joe Biden dropped out of the race for re-election and Harris entered the picture.

“I grew up a Democrat, and I’ve always been a Democrat until I met this man right here,” Taylor said to cheers. “Nobody in my family ever will vote for a Democrat again.”

Jake Paul

Boxer Jake Paul gave his official endorsement of Trump in a video at the end of October. He called the divisiveness in the selection, which is why he wanted to speak out.

“Don’t judge people off of a character that the media has portrayed them to be because Democrats control 90% of the U.S. media, so they will paint a picture to you all, and that picture is what they want you to see,” he said.

Nick Bosa

San Francisco 49ers star Nick Bosa flashed a Make America Great Again hat after the team’s recent win over the Dallas Cowboys, causing a major uproar in the sports world.

Bosa didn’t explain why he chose to support Trump.

“I’m not going to talk too much about it, but I think it’s an important time,” Bosa said after the game.

Patrick Mahomes

Patrick Mahomes may have been the most famous athlete to speak on a political topic but not make an endorsement. His wife, Brittany Mahomes, seemingly backed Trump’s policy platform for 2025 and beyond.

But for Mahomes, he wasn’t going to endorse a candidate either way.

“I don’t want to pressure anyone to vote for a certain president,” he told Time. “I want people to use their voice, whoever they believe in. I want them to do the research.”

Antonio Brown & Le’Veon Bell

Former Pittsburgh Steelers stars Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell came out in support of Trump in the weeks before Election Day. The two stumped for Trump as the former president held a rally in Pennsylvania.

Dana White

UFC President Dana White was at the Republican National Convention and Trump’s recent rally at Madison Square Garden. He touted Trump having his back during the early days of UFC.

He also made clear Harris represented the “status quo” for a country in need of change.

“She can get your party’s nomination without even facing voters,” White said. “What else? What else can she offer the American people other than vague promises and no plan?

“She talks a lot about the need for change and her hope for the future, hope and change. Does that sound familiar? She can use the old Obama playbook, but she’s not Obama, and she is no agent of change. She is the sitting vice president of the United States right now. What she hopes is voters will focus on the future because she doesn’t want us looking at the last four years to see what we really need to change.”

White said Americans need change from “sky-high inflation” and “wide-open borders.” He also criticized the Biden-Harris administration for “weakness” abroad.

Hulk Hogan

WWE legend Hulk Hogan, like White, spoke at both the Republican National Convention and Trump’s rally in New York. He criticized Harris on key issues.

“All of a sudden, she flips, she flops, she spins and turns around and acts like she was going to be the damn hero,” said Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea. “But we all know Trump is the only man that can fix this country today, and with Trump as our commander in chief, peace through strength will fix all of our problems in the Middle East.”

Mick Foley

Mick Foley broke from his pro wrestling colleague and sounded the alarm on Trump for what he says would be a disaster for the U.S.

He said he grew up on Long Island and saw Trump as a “harmless conman.” However, since his presidency and bids for re-election, Foley said Trump “is not harmless anymore” and is a “very dangerous conman.” 

“I’ve always liked Kamala Harris. I go back to when she was campaigning for president five years ago. I like what she had to say. I believe she’s a positive, a very competent person. I want to embrace the joy that she brings, the optimism, and not the fear that has been Donald Trump’s hallmark.

“I also want to point out that the reason why I spoke out … because I don’t particularly want people to dislike me, and I know when you speak up against someone very powerful with a very strong and very loyal following, you’re going to get some negative blowback. But I also realized I did not want to wake up on the day after the election to find out a swing state had been lost by a couple hundred votes and to know that I could’ve made the difference.”

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Reese Burkhardt

Texas Tech kicker Reese Burkhardt captured the attention of the college football world when he flashed a supportive Trump message after scoring a touchdown on a trick play.

However, Red Raiders head coach Joey Maguire didn’t appear to be too thrilled with the message at the time.

“We have addressed it. We will continue to address it. We’re addressing internally,” he said, per the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. “You know, it’s always one of [the] things as far as whenever you’re dealing with young adults, the really young adults, I guess, the choices that we make and when we make them and when you share it.

“I always think the greatest thing about football, basketball, sports like that, it’s a team sport. You always want to make sure that you’re putting your team in the best situation. And there’s places that you express your opinion and, you know, I don’t think necessarily that’s a time or the place.”

UFC fighters

Several UFC fighters came out in support of Trump. They stumped for him in Michigan while speaking to the Arab-American community.

Justin Gaethje, Henry Cejudo, Beneil Dariush, Frankie Edgar and Rashad Evans were reportedly among those backing the former president.

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