The U.S President Donald Trump has been targeting sports leagues and athletes to those challenging his agenda and criticizing publically his political efforts as ethnically disruptive. NFL players and NBA stars that kneel during the national anthem have been considered his perfect targets. Tiger Woods had the chance to weigh in on Trump after perfectly finishing contention at The Northern Trust. A reporter asked him that a large number of people are immigrants and threatened by Trump and his alleged policy, what do you say to people who discovered it interesting due to you have a friendly relationship with Donald Trump? Woods respond that Trump is the President of the United States, so Americans should respect the office, it doesn’t matter who is operating the office. People may like or dislike his personality or politics, but we should respect the office.
The response of Woods is surprising in light of willingness from other athletes to take Trump to the task. Woods and various other prominent professional golfers have golfed with President Trump and spent time with him off the course as well. He has also golfed with former U.S Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and George H.W. Bush. Weeks before Trump was elected, Woods joked with Stephen Colbert in the “The Late Show” on CBS in October 2016 regarding the golf games of former U.S presidents and provided a coy response when asked about the skills of Donald Trump on the links. It’s the stance Jordan took as the world’s most visible athlete and a sneaker icon during the 90s, choosing to keep his political leanings close to the vest. While James, Stephen Curry, and Gregg Popovich lead the way for sports figures refusing to back down to conflict-ridden language.