Donald Trump tweets about 'ungrateful fool' LaVar Ball as war of words continues
Donald J. Trump
It wasnât the White House  it wasnât the State Department  it wasnât father LaVarâs so-called people on the ground in China that got his son out of a long term prison sentence â IT WAS ME. Too bad! LaVar is just a poor manâs version of Don King  but without the hair. Just think.. â Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 22  2017
â¦LaVar  you could have spent the next 5 to 10 years during Thanksgiving with your son in China  but no NBA contract to support you. But remember LaVar  shoplifting is NOT a little thing. Itâs a really big deal  especially in China. Ungrateful fool! â  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)  November 22  2017
âYouâre welcome â  Trump  tweeted at the trio upon their return to the United States  urging Ball  Cody Riley and Jalen Hill to âHAVE A GREAT LIFE!â He also suggested that they âgive a big Thank You to President Xi Jinping of China.â
 Trump  said last week that he had personally intervened in the case with his Chinese counterpart  asking Xi to help resolve the case.
When the president returned from a 12-day trip through Asia  he wrote on Twitter: âDo you think the three UCLA Basketball Players will say thank you to  President Trump ? They were headed for 10 years in jail!â
Enter LaVar Ball  who was asked by ESPN about  Trump âs role in securing  his  sonâs release.
[Why LaVar Ball is a perfect foil for  President Trump ]
 Trump  fumed  tweeting Sunday: âI should have left them in jail!â (The White House later said  Trump  wasnât serious  calling it âa rhetorical response to a criticism by the father.â)
But the following night  the outspoken Ball went on CNN and took aim at  the president .
Ball said insisted that  Trump  has overstated  his  role in freeing the three Americans and added that if  he  would thank anyone  it would be Xi.
But   he  added: âI donât have to go around saying thank you to everybody.â
LaVar Ball  the father of one of three UCLA players who were released by Chinese authorities  appeared on CNN and was asked why he would not thank  President Trump . It was a very testy interview. (Amber Ferguson/The Washington Post)
 Trump  raised the arrests during a two-day state visit to Beijing  arriving after the three freshman players were accused of stealing sunglasses from a Louis Vuitton store next to the teamâs hotel.
âThe basketball players  by the way â I know a lot of people are asking â I will tell you  when I heard about it two days ago  I had a great conversation with President Xi â  Trump  said after boarding Air Force One in Manila at the conclusion his Asia trip. âWhat they did was unfortunate. You know  youâre talking about very long prison sentences. [The Chinese] do not play games.â
When asked specifically whether Xi was helping to resolve the matter   Trump  said last week: âYes   he  is. And  he âs been terrific. President Xi has been terrific on that subject.
For  Trump   fighting with athletes is political sport
It wasnât the White House  it wasnât the State Department  it wasnât father LaVarâs so-called people on the ground in China that got his son out of a long term prison sentence â IT WAS ME. Too bad! LaVar is just a poor manâs version of Don King  but without the hair. Just think.. â Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 22  2017
â¦LaVar  you could have spent the next 5 to 10 years during Thanksgiving with your son in China  but no NBA contract to support you. But remember LaVar  shoplifting is NOT a little thing. Itâs a really big deal  especially in China. Ungrateful fool! â   [TGT] November 22  2017
âYouâre welcome â   [TGT]   tweeted at the trio upon their return to the United States  urging Ball  Cody Riley and Jalen Hill to âHAVE A GREAT LIFE!â  [TGT]  also suggested that they âgive a big Thank You to President Xi Jinping of China.â
  [TGT] said last week that  [TGT]  had personally intervened in the case with  [TGT]  Chinese counterpart  asking Xi to help resolve the case.
When the president returned from a 12-day trip through Asia  he wrote on Twitter: âDo you think the three UCLA Basketball Players will say thank you to  [TGT]  ? They were headed for 10 years in jail!â
Enter LaVar Ball  who was asked by ESPN about   [TGT]  âs role in securing   [TGT]   sonâs release.
[Why LaVar Ball is a perfect foil for  President Trump ]
  [TGT]   fumed  tweeting Sunday: âI should have left them in jail!â (The White House later said   [TGT]   wasnât serious  calling it âa rhetorical response to a criticism by the father.â)
But the following night  the outspoken Ball went on CNN and took aim at  the president .
Ball said insisted that   [TGT] has overstated   [TGT]   role in freeing the three Americans and added that if   [TGT]   would thank anyone  it would be Xi.
But   he  added: âI donât have to go around saying thank you to everybody.â
LaVar Ball  the father of one of three UCLA players who were released by Chinese authorities  appeared on CNN and was asked why he would not thank   [TGT]  . It was a very testy interview. (Amber Ferguson/The Washington Post)
  [TGT] raised the arrests during a two-day state visit to Beijing  arriving after the three freshman players were accused of stealing sunglasses from a Louis Vuitton store next to the teamâs hotel.
âThe basketball players  by the way â I know a lot of people are asking â I will tell you  when I heard about it two days ago  I had a great conversation with President Xi â   [TGT] said after boarding Air Force One in Manila at the conclusion  [TGT]  Asia trip. âWhat they did was unfortunate. You know  youâre talking about very long prison sentences. [The Chinese] do not play games.â
When asked specifically whether Xi was helping to resolve the matter    [TGT] said last week: âYes    [TGT]   is. And   [TGT]  âs been terrific. President Xi has been terrific on that subject.
For   [TGT]    fighting with athletes is political sport