The Los Angeles Lakers are being sold to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger for a staggering $12.5 billion.
The record sale and the Kushner family’s ties to President Donald Trump led to speculation about the U.S. Commander in Chief’s involvement in the deal. However, that claim has now been rebuffed by the White House.
White House Denies Claims of President Donald Trump’s Involvement in Lakers Sale
Lakers owner Mark Walter announced the news of the sale on Wednesday, less than a year after buying the historic franchise. The sale comes amid a federal investigation into Walter. That, combined with Kushner’s involvement, led to speculation that President Trump was part of the deal.
Theories started to emerge on the internet on Wednesday, some claiming that President Trump encouraged the sale of the Lakers to Kushner, and Walter agreed to the deal with the hope that the probe would go away.
However, the White House has now poured cold water on that claim. In a statement, a White House spokesperson made it clear that President Trump was not involved in the deal. “This has nothing to do with President Trump or his administration,” the White House told Front Office Sports.
The claim was also vehemently denied by a Kushner representative, who made clear that the theory was categorically “false.” The report from FOS also claims that Kushner identifies as a “lifelong Democrat” and has never held a role in the Trump administration.
Kushner’s older brother, Jared Kushner, is a United States Special Envoy for Peace and the son-in-law of President Trump.
Before completing the sale to buy the Lakers, the younger Kushner brother was also part of a fund seeking to invest in the FIFA World Cup, a plan led by FIFA President Gianni Infantino. However, those talks broke down amid threats of boycotts from member nations.
Kushner moved swiftly to complete the purchase of the Lakers, along with former Disney CEO Iger. This comes two years after he purchased a minority stake in the Miami Heat. He has also previously held a stake in the Memphis Grizzlies, which he sold when purchasing his stake in the Heat.
Meanwhile, the Lakers are set for a new era both on and off the court. Following the departure of LeBron James and a second ownership change in as many years, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for Luka Dončić and co.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.