Asked by CNN’s Alisyn Camerota on “New Day” if Pence supports the boycott, Marc Short, Vice President Mike Pence’s chief of staff, said, “I don’t know you will see that the administration weighs on this in one way or another. ‘other. In my mind it’s absurd, it’s silly. “
He continued to criticize the NBA for its ties to China, and said he believed the administration shouldn’t have talked about the boycott “one way or another”.
“If they want to protest, I don’t think we care,” he said.
“I think NBA players are very lucky to have the financial position where they are able to take a night off from work without having to have financial consequences for themselves,” he said in an interview with CNBC. “So they have that luxury, which is great. Look, I think there is a lot of activism with the NBA and I think they’ve put out a lot of slogans, but I think what we need to do is turn it from slogans and signals to actual action that will solve. the problem “.
What began as the Milwaukee Bucks’ decision on Wednesday to boycott their playoff game following the police shooting of Jacob Blake in the team’s home state, Wednesday night turned into a wave of similar protests in the American sports scene. . The NBA soon announced that it would be postponing Game 5 of three different playoff series: Bucks vs Orlando Magic, Houston Rockets vs Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers vs Portland Trail Blazers.
“President Donald Trump and I will always support Americans’ right to peaceful protest, but riots and looting are not peaceful protests, taking down statues is not freedom of speech. Those who do will be prosecuted to the fullest extent permitted by law.” Pence told Fort. McHenry in Baltimore. “Let me be clear, the violence must stop, whether in Minneapolis, Portland or Kenosha. Too many heroes have died defending our freedoms to see Americans strike each other. We will have law and order on the streets of this country for every American of every race, creed and color “.
This story has been updated with additional comments and background.
Jill Martin, Leah Asmelash, and CNN’s David Close contributed to this report.
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