Sometimes, people who are all bark and no bite need to be called out for what they are.
Texas GOP Rep. Wesley Hunt appeared on “The Benny Johnson Show” podcast alongside its host, where he called out NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley’s ridiculous threat of punching any black person who wears a T-shirt of former President Donald Trump’s famous mug shot.
Johnson originally broached the topic as he remembered Hunt previously sharing that he was fond of the mug shot of the former president.
“Apparently, according to Charles Barkley, if you were to wear this Donald Trump mug shot he’d punch you in the face,” the host said. “He’d punch you right in the head.”
🚨BREAKING: Congressman @WesleyHuntTX responds to Charles Barkley threatening to PUNCH any black person he sees wearing a Trump mugshot T-Shirt:
“He’s not going to punch me..”🔥
“Put it in context — stop lying. I was there.. he was speaking about how the system is coming after… pic.twitter.com/94RccU6Hhk
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) March 5, 2024
He played a clip showing Barkley being interviewed on far-left network CNN, when he was asked his response to a video of Trump talking about black people wearing T-shirts of his famous mug shot.
That mug shot was taken in August of 2023, when Trump was booked at Georgia’s Fulton County Jail after a liberal district attorney accused him of trying to interfere in the 2020 presidential election.
Do you agree with Wesley Hunt?
The booking photo backfired on the left when the image of Trump’s fierce, defiant glare delighted the former president’s supporters and went viral, rather than being an embarrassment to conservatives, as the former president’s detractors had intended.
Barkley told his interviewer, “If I see a black person walking around with [the] Trump mug shot, I’m gonna punch them in the face.”
Even when pushed on whether he meant it, the former NBA star doubled down, insisting “I mean that sincerely.”
But there was crucial context missing — as usual — from the liberal network’s “deceitful” coverage of that incident, Hunt said.
“What you don’t know is, sitting over President Trump’s left shoulder, during that moment, was me,” Hunt told Johnson.
“I was sitting right behind him during a 2-hour speech that was given in front of over 300 black conservatives. And if you put that in the context of which he said that, it was absolutely hilarious.”
While the biased CNN coverage — which the congressman labeled “sad” and “pathetic” — was intent on making Trump sound offensive, Hunt said Trump effectively connected with the audience of 300 black conservatives.
“[I]t was a 2-hour speech about policy, about how the Biden administration has destroyed the black community,” Hunt told Johnson. “About how he wants to restore the prominence of the black community and get back to a successful place for all Americans.”
Hunt then addressed the elephant in the room of Barkley’s threat of violence, responding, “Charles Barkley — who, growing up, I was a big fan of — I don’t think he’s gonna punch this combat veteran in the face.”
“I know he’s 6 foot 4, 350, and I got it, but I guarantee you if I wore that shirt or when I wear that shirt, he’s not going to punch me,” the representative said.
He noted that statements from Barkley need to be taken “with a grain of salt,” as he’s previously made controversial remarks that have gotten him in trouble.
“I’m kind of sad to see him say that and not put everything in the full context of understanding who all was there, [and] what BCF stands for — Black Conservative Federation,” he told Johnson. “We are proud black people that were standing there, vibing with President Trump.”
Hunt again paused to chastise CNN’s coverage, saying, “Put it in context. Stop lying.”
Hunt told Johnson that the context of Trump’s “mug shot T-shirt” discussion “was talking about how the system is coming after President Trump, like the system oftentimes has come after black people. That was the point he was making.”
“He said something to me on his plane a few months ago that I’ll never forget,” the congressman continued. “‘Wesley, look, brother. They are not coming after me, they’re coming after you. I’m just standing in their way,’ and that’s why he made that comment.”
While Barkley — and CNN — certainly want to drive a wedge between Trump and the black community, they are sorely missing the fact that Trump is working toward a better future for all Americans, regardless of race.
