Martina Navratilova blasts college football coach for 'threatening' journalist critical of President Donald Trump

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has publicly criticized Long Beach City College (LBCC) football coach Brett Peabody for sending a threatening message to prominent progressive journalist Aaron Rupar. The incident has sparked widespread outrage and calls for accountability, with Navratilova's comments fueling the fire.

The controversy began when Rupar, known for his progressive commentary and criticism of President Donald Trump, shared a screenshot of a private message he received from Peabody on X (formerly Twitter).

In the message, Peabody referred to Rupar as a "sorry fascist scumbag" and expressed hope that Rupar would be "held accountable for the bulls***" he had spread.

Rupar, for his part, stated that while he didn't feel threatened by the message, he chose to publicize it because it was sent from Peabody's professional account, raising concerns about the coach's conduct.

"I get lots of threatening DMs but I usually don't get them from head coaches of college football programs," Rupar wrote.

The post quickly gained significant attention, amassing over a million views and prompting calls for administrative action against Peabody.

Peabody, who has been the head coach at LBCC since 2013, issued an apology, acknowledging that sending the message was a poor decision and labeling it an "embarrassment for the college." He described his language as "harsh and regrettable" but clarified that it was intended to critique Rupar's journalistic practices. Peabody emphasized his desire for higher standards in journalism.

LBCC has acknowledged awareness of the incident but has not disclosed any specific actions regarding Peabody's conduct.

Reacting to the news on X (formerly Twitter) on January 21, 2025, Navratilova shared her opinion, criticizing the coach's conduct, writing:

"Wow. Coach setting quite the example for his players…🤡😳😳😳🤮"

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Martina Navratilova shares thoughts on US Politics as President Donald Trump joins the ranks of crypto billionaires

In Picture: Martina Navratilova during the 2024 Laureus World Sports Awards press conference (Image source: Getty)

Martina Navratilova likened the U.S. political system to a "banana republic" in reaction to President Donald Trump becoming a crypto billionaire. Just days before his inauguration, Trump unveiled his cryptocurrency, $TRUMP, on the Solana blockchain. Now valued at an estimated $58 billion, the cryptocurrency has catapulted him into the ranks of the world’s wealthiest individuals.

CNN journalist Edward-Isaac Dovere brought attention to Trump's extraordinary financial gains, particularly through cryptocurrency, through a post on X on January 20, 2025.

The 18-time Grand Slam singles champion shared Dovere's post, seemingly criticizing Trump's wealth accumulation.

"Welcome to our brand new Banana Republic," Martina Navratilova wrote.

First Lady-elect Melania Trump also introduced her own cryptocurrency, $MELANIA, which also achieved a multi-billion-dollar market valuation.