BARKLEY’S TOUGH LOVE FOR DEMOCRATS

Charles Barkley calls out Democrats after the 2024 election loss.

Charles Barkley didn’t hold back when dissecting the Democrats’ crushing defeat in the 2024 election. On his podcast The Steam Room, co-hosted with Ernie Johnson, the NBA Hall of Famer offered his blunt assessment of why Kamala Harris and the Democrats lost to Donald Trump.  

“I wish him [Trump] nothing but the best, but we lost,” Barkley said. “And I just want to say this to the Democrats: I’m an Independent who voted Democratic. Do me this favor—shut the fck up! When you win, you get to say what you want. When you lose, you need to shut the hell up.”  

Barkley pointed to a lack of strategy, not Trump’s polarizing rhetoric, as the reason for the Democrats’ downfall. “We lost because we had no game plan,” he stated. “We still haven’t solved the immigration problem. Never addressed inflation. And bringing out celebrities to rally votes? What was that? I love Beyoncé, but that ain’t gonna make me vote a certain way.”  

Charles Barkley on the podcast. YouTube screenshot.

Known for his direct approach, Barkley dismissed the notion that all Trump voters are racist and urged the Democrats to focus on real issues. “I’m not a fan of [Trump], but he’s the president now, and I’m going to respect the office. People want solutions. They want money in their pocket. They want the border secure.”  

Barkley’s frustration extended to critics of Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl, a vocal Trump supporter. “The next one of you fools sends me an article about Bruce Pearl supporting Trump, I’m gonna punch you in the face,” he quipped. “Bruce Pearl can vote for who he wants to. He’s got two jobs—win basketball games and graduate players.”  

Despite his left-leaning stance, Barkley has frequently criticized Democrats for relying on identity politics and failing to connect with voters. “They only care about Black people every four years,” he said earlier this year, highlighting a recurring issue he feels has cost them elections.  

For Barkley, the message to Democrats is clear: leave the excuses behind, focus on solutions, and get a real game plan before the next election.

Main photo: Charles Barkley. GettyImages.