Former President Donald Trump has entered the sports salary chat, and surprise, surprise—he’s talking WNBA! On the latest episode of the “Let’s Go” podcast, Trump offered his two cents on the salary discrepancies in sports. Specifically, he’s got Caitlin Clark in his sights, calling for the WNBA to give her a bonus. Why? Well, because apparently, she’s doing for basketball what Tiger Woods did for golf back in the day.
Yes, you read that right. The Tiger Woods comparison. Never one for subtlety, Trump compared Clark’s star power to the golf legend, recalling how Tiger single-handedly turned golf from something your grandpa watched on Sunday afternoons into must-see TV. Trump, reminiscing like he was there on the green, said, “Tiger, when he first went out, remember those days?” Yeah, Donald, we remember. And now Caitlin Clark is supposedly having her own “Tiger moment” with the WNBA.
Trump wasn’t just waxing nostalgic, though. He made it clear—Clark’s getting the short end of the stick. Her salary? Just a smidge over $76,000 in her rookie season. For those keeping track at home, that’s about what LeBron James makes for lacing up one shoe. Meanwhile, Clark has been breaking records in viewership, ticket sales, and even sneaker sales, thanks to deals with brands like Nike and Gatorade. And yet, she’s not even hitting six figures on the court.
When asked if Clark’s salary should be higher, Trump didn’t hesitate. But he also didn’t oversimplify. “It’s unusual,” he said, acknowledging that salary bumps don’t come easy. “You gotta rely on the market,” he added. Ah, the magical “market”—the all-knowing entity that somehow values second-string NBA benchwarmers higher than WNBA superstars. But Trump’s got a solution: Why not just hand Clark a bonus? After all, she’s already doing the heavy lifting for the league’s popularity surge.
And it’s not like Trump is entirely off-base with the Tiger comparison. Back in Woods’ heyday, TV ratings for golf tournaments skyrocketed. The 1997 Masters, where Tiger won, saw ratings of 9.5. Compare that to a measly 7.4 average when he wasn’t in the mix. Pro golfers started cashing bigger checks thanks to Tiger’s influence, and now, Trump wants Clark to get the same treatment in the WNBA.
Of course, the big question is: Will Clark’s “Tiger Woods effect” actually translate to bigger paydays for her and her fellow WNBA stars? If she keeps putting up jaw-dropping stats, filling arenas, and selling out jerseys, maybe. For now, though, she’s making $338,056 over her first four years—a fraction of what her male counterparts rake in, despite bringing in comparable buzz.
But fear not, Caitlin Clark isn’t exactly crying into her rookie contract. She’s got endorsement deals lined up with some of the biggest brands in the game, like Nike, Gatorade, State Farm, and Bose. So while her on-court earnings might make you do a double-take, her off-court bank account is looking a little more Tiger-esque.
In the end, whether Caitlin Clark’s star power can move the needle on WNBA salaries remains to be seen. For now, we can all sit back and enjoy the ride—because according to Trump, Clark’s just getting started. Let’s just hope the WNBA follows Trump’s advice and tosses in that bonus, because as of now, Clark’s been playing like a million bucks while getting paid like a summer intern.