Overview

• Charles Barkley criticized Canadians who have been harsh toward Wayne Gretzky due to his friendship with U.S. President Donald Trump.
• Gretzky faced backlash after attending Trump’s victory party and inauguration and being seen wearing a MAGA hat.
• The criticism intensified following Trump’s controversial comments about annexing Canada and imposing tariffs, though Gretzky has expressed support for Canada remaining independent.
• Gretzky’s wife, Janet, stated that the negative comments have deeply hurt him, while fellow hockey legend Bobby Orr publicly defended Gretzky in a column.
• Barkley emphasized Gretzky’s unparalleled contributions to hockey and described the criticism as unwarranted, noting Gretzky has no control over U.S. political decisions.