Charles Barkley blasts Canadian ‘fools’ for criticizing Wayne Gretzky over Donald Trump links

Charles Barkley is the latest public figure to defend Wayne Gretzky against criticism from Canadians over his ties to Donald Trump.

A friend of Gretzky’s from the Phoenix area, where the hockey legend once coached the Coyotes and Barkley previously played for the NBA‘s Suns, Sir Charles offered support to the NHL legend on TNT this week.

‘Wayne Gretzky is the greatest hockey player ever,’ Barkley said of Gretzky, who happens to work in an adjoining Atlanta studio as part of TNT’s NHL coverage. ‘He’s the nicest person. Them fools up in Canada give him a hard time because of the tariff with Trump and everything…he got no control over what these fools do down here in our government.’

Trump has angered Canadians and plunged US and its northern neighbor into a trade war by alternately declaring and pausing tariffs on goods from the country. However, Trump says he still plans to impose ‘reciprocal’ taxes on Canadian goods beginning next month. 

Gretzky was already being criticized throughout his native Canada for his ties to Trump after attending post-election parties at the President’s club in Palm Beach, Florida as well as the inauguration in Washington. 

But, amid the two countries’ unfolding trade war, it was Gretzky’s presence as Team Canada’s honorary captain at the NHL’s recent 4 Nations championship that really infuriated some of his countrymen.

Gretzky’s wife Janet Jones also posted an older picture of him with a beaming Donald Trump

Many have criticized Gretzky for failing to wear team colors at Canada’s overtime win over Team USA in Boston. Others, meanwhile, focused on Gretzky’s ties to Trump, who has insisted that Canada renounce its sovereignty and join America as its 51st state.

‘Just going to state this matter-of-factly,’ Canadian-based TSN reporter Dave Naylor wrote on X, ‘the honorary captain for Canada in this game publicly supports a political leader whose position is that Canada should not exist as a nation.’

But he did get support from a fellow Hockey Hall of Famer in Boston Bruins great Bobby Orr.

In an op-ed piece for the Toronto Sun, the Ontario native defended Gretzky, who famously won several major international competitions as captain of Team Canada during his playing days.

‘For the life of me, I cannot understand why the ‘haters’ have decided to go after Wayne because he ‘didn’t wear a Canadian jersey’ during his introduction at the final match,’ Orr wrote. ‘I, for one, thought that he looked very dignified while representing Canada with class and professionalism.

‘Remember, this is a man who wore the Maple Leaf on multiple occasions with pride,’ Orr continued. ‘As both a player and administrator, he has brought nothing but glory to his homeland year after year, decade after decade.’

Curiously, Orr’s column makes no direct mention of Trump.

It does, however, work to remind Canadians that Gretzky is one of them.

‘Wayne is a guy from Brantford, Ont., who made good and has done nothing throughout his life but give aid and assistance to innumerable Canadians along the way,’ Orr concluded.

‘Please, let’s take a time out. Extend a little grace, and a little respect for a good man and a great Canadian.’

This isn’t the first time Canada has been at war with itself over Gretzky. The trade that sent him from Edmonton to Los Angeles continues to haunt the country, even after the Oilers won the 1990 Stanley Cup without him.

Then there was Gretzky’s support for then-President George W. Bush’s controversial ‘War on Terror’ in 2003. With the country divided America’s invasion of Iraq, critics hung a sign reading ‘U$ Lackey” around a Gretzky statue in Edmonton.

Gretzky did attend Trump’s election victory party at Mar-a-Lago, where the two golf aficionados and their families were seen celebrating together.

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Janet Jones Gretzky was complimentary of Canada and the US but critics weren’t having it

Bruins legend Bobby Orr (right) wrote a column defending Gretzky (left) from Trump critics

Janet Jones, Gretzky’s long-time wife, shared a picture of her husband with Trump on social media, which appeared to anger liberal hockey fans last month.

‘You have to really question someone’s ethics and logic supporting someone like Trump,’ one user posted.

‘Apparently there is an inverse relationship between hockey skills and intelligence,’ another added.

One said: ‘Few things on earth more embarrassing than Canadian maga weirdos’.

But while Gretzky was getting criticized by Canadian hockey fans, he was embraced by Trump, who suggested the NHL’s all-time leading scorer should run for Prime Minister.

‘I have some many great friends,’ the 78-year-old Trump said to a crowd at Mar-a-Lago in January. ‘One of them is the ”Great One .” I said, ”Run for Prime Minister, you’ll win… It will take two seconds.”

‘He said, ”Well, am I gonna run for Prime Minister or Governor? You tell me,”’ Trump continued.

‘I said: ”I dunno, let’s make it Governor. I like that better.”

Wayne Gretzky and his wife Janet Jones arrive for the Presidential Inauguration of Donald Trump at the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington on January 20 

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While Team USA’s honorary captain Mike Eruzione (near left) wore a replica jersey at Thursday’s 4 Nations finale, Canada’s honorary captain Wayne Gretzky (near right) did not

Famously preoccupied by America’s trade deficit with Canada, Trump previously suggested the country’s 10 provinces and three territories should become the 51st state. He even tweeted about the idea on Christmas Day, offering Gretzky as a potential ‘Governor of Canada.’

‘You would win easily, you wouldn’t have to campaign,’ Trump wrote in his Truth Social post.

Alas, Gretzky did not seem eager to become the Prime Minister or Governor of Canada, according to Trump.

‘He had no interest, but I think the people of Canada should start a DRAFT WAYNE GRETZKY Movement,’ Trump added. ‘It would be so much fun to watch!’