Donald Trump Denies Inviting Mike Tyson to Speak at Republican National Convention
By Kyle Koster
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump late Tuesday denied a Bloomberg report that he had invited Mike Tyson to the Republican National Convention. The former heavyweight champion and convicted rapist was among a stable of sports stars — including Bobby Knight, Mike Ditka and NASCAR chairman Brian France — Trump was lining up to appear in Cleveland next month.
Iron Mike Tyson was not asked to speak at the Convention though I'm sure he would do a good job if he was. The media makes everything up!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 29, 2016
Trump is technically denying something that wasn’t reported by the make-everything-up media. The Bloomberg pieced stated that the sports stars’ roles hadn’t been finalized and it was unclear if any of them would speak on-stage.
Tyson and the aspiring president have a 30-year friendship dating back to the years the boxer’s biggest fights were staged on Trump real estate. During Tyson’s 1992 rape trial, Trump, who claimed his friend was being railroaded, proposed a sentence include no jail time so Tyson’s fighting career could continue.
Trump boasted about Tyson’s support during a campaign rally in Indiana back in April.
"“Mike Tyson endorsed me,” Trump told the crowd. “I love it. He sent out a tweet. Mike. Iron Mike. You know, all the tough guys endorse me. I like that, OK? “But Mike said, ‘I love Trump. I endorse Trump.’ And that’s the end. I’m sure he doesn’t know about your economic situation in Indiana. But when I get endorsed by the tough ones, I like it, because you know what? We need toughness now. We need toughness.”"