Steve Kerr trolls Trump's $5,000 check promise after midterms

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr made a pointed joke about President Donald Trump's $5,000 check promise during a post-practice media session on Wednesday, one day after the 2026 midterm elections.

Reporters at Chase Center were packing up their equipment when Kerr stopped the room.

He asked why no one had asked about Tuesday's midterm results.

Then he delivered his line.

"I'm disappointed, because I was looking forward to that $5,000 check that we were all gonna get," Kerr said.

"I already spent it, in fact."

"And I was so excited and sure about it that I spent it already."

"So now I'm gonna have to figure something out."

The comment was a clear reference to a promise Trump made before the midterms.

Trump had publicly pledged to give $5,000 to every American adult if Republicans maintained control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Democrats won outright majorities in both chambers on Tuesday.

That means the $5,000 check is not coming.

Kerr's joke landed as a victory lap after a night of heavy losses for the Republican Party.

Democrats swept several key Senate and gubernatorial races across the country.

Many outlets described the outcome as a "blue wave."

Kerr has been one of the most vocal anti-Trump figures in professional sports.

He endorsed Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential campaign.

He appeared as a featured speaker at the Democratic National Convention.

He also used Stephen Curry's signature "night night" celebration to mock Trump on multiple occasions.

Not everyone inside the Warriors organization is comfortable with Kerr's political commentary.

Warriors owner Joe Lacob has publicly said Kerr "sometimes goes a little far" with his political statements.

Wednesday's joke was not the first time Kerr has faced scrutiny for mixing basketball and politics.

In January, Kerr made comments about federal immigration enforcement after a road trip to Minnesota.

He said ICE agents were taking 5-year-old kindergartners and American citizens rather than targeting violent criminals.

When pressed on those claims, Kerr acknowledged he had misspoken.

"You're right, I definitely misspoke, and I knew that ICE was arresting some criminals," Kerr said at the time.

"I misspoke, and I apologize for the misinformation."

When a reporter followed up, Kerr ended the exchange by saying, "All right, let's talk about basketball."

Critics have pointed to that moment as evidence of a double standard.

They note that Kerr was eager to bring up politics after the midterm results but shut down political questions in January when his own statements were challenged.

Kerr has also acknowledged that his silence on China's actions in Hong Kong was calculated.

He said he stayed quiet to protect the NBA's financial interests in the Chinese market.

He has also said he regrets calling Trump a "buffoon" in the past.

Despite the criticism, fans largely embraced Kerr's midterm joke.

Social media reactions were overwhelmingly positive.

"Dude is clowning, and he deserves to get his jokes in," one fan wrote.

"Steve Kerr has always been one of the most vocal anti-Trump people in sports, so this checks out," another added.

"Kerr just couldn't help himself, and I love it," a third fan said.

"Someone tell Kerr the Warriors luxury tax bill costs a little more than that," a fourth fan commented.

"Don't worry Steve, we still got the tariff and DOGE checks coming," a fifth fan replied.

"You don't even have to agree with his political views to respect this troll," another comment read.

Fox News covered the exchange and criticized Kerr for raising politics after the results while, in the writer's view, avoiding political scrutiny at other times.