Donald Trump has warned WNBA stars will 'destroy themselves' as he urged fans to turn off if they keep leaving the court before the national anthem.

Players from both the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries have stayed in the locker room during 'The Star-Spangled Banner' before games in the ongoing WNBA Finals series.

Several teams regularly step away from the court before the anthems as part of their pre-game routine, sparking outrage among some viewers.

According to the league's official rulebook, the players are required to stand and line up during the national anthem.

But on Wednesday, for the third game in a row, the two teams were seen heading back toward the locker room shortly before Q Parker belted out The Star-Spangled Banner at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

Speaking at a Republican rally in Iowa on Thursday night, Trump asked: 'By the way, what's going on with the Women's NBA? What's that all about?'

Those in attendance booed as he continued: 'You know, they'll destroy themselves before they get started. Because they just started to do good.'

The boos briefly turned to cheers as he referenced former Iowa college stand-out Caitlin Clark, now with the Indiana Fever, and her role in the league's growth, stating: 'And you have a player here who was very good, very helpful to that.'

Trump then continued, suggesting the league should take warning from the backlash the NFL faced when Colin Kaepernick led a wave of anthem protests in 2016. 

'No, it's a big deal going on,' he added. 'They leave the court when the national anthems play. What's that all about? 

'You know, the NFL did that for a while and they stopped because people stopped watching the games. So I think you should do the same thing with women's basketball.'

Attention then turned to LeBron James, who Trump slammed in a post on Truth Social after a clip of him appearing to practice his shooting motion and golf swing during the anthem before his Philadelphia 76ers debut against the New York Knicks. 

He said: 'And what about LeBron James? Did you see that deal? During the national anthem he's practicing his golf swing. 

'What the hell is that? No, it's a big scandal kind of a story. What's it all about?'

Trump is not the first Republican politician to weigh in on the WNBA anthem situation this week, with Vice-President JD Vance slamming the walk-offs.

'I think it's disgraceful,' he told Raymond Arroyo. 'I think that you should not express some criticism of a public policy of a given politician by disrespecting the country writ large.

'I mean, those women who play for the WNBA, think of the public safety, think of the incredible wealth and privilege, the amazing jobs that they have. 

'They have a lot to be grateful to the United States for, and I think that if they had a bit more of a spirit of gratitude, they'd be happier people, and they wouldn't offend so many people as well.'

The vice president added: 'Whether you were born in the United States or whether you came here by choice, this is your country. And I think that we're all meant to love it. 

'We're all meant to try to make it the best version of itself. But fundamentally, I think, without love of country, I think that you're going to be a disordered human being.'