Trump says he should have left UCLA players in Chinese jail

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump says he should have left three UCLA basketball players accused of shoplifting in China in jail.

Trump's tweet Sunday comes after the father of player LiAngelo Ball minimized Trump's involvement in winning the players' release in comments to ESPN.

"Who?" LaVar Ball told ESPN on Friday, when asked about Trump's involvement in the matter. "What was he over there for? Don't tell me nothing. Everybody wants to make it seem like he helped me out."

Trump has said he raised the players' detention with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the leaders' recent meeting in Beijing.

The players returned to the U.S. last week. They have been indefinitely suspended from the team.

Says Trump: "Now that the three basketball players are out of China and saved from years in jail, LaVar Ball, the father of LiAngelo, is unaccepting of what I did for his son and that shoplifting is no big deal.