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Donald Trump tells UCLA trio to thank Xi Jinping for releasing them from China

US president wishes freed shoplifting suspects a ‘great life’ and warns them of the ‘many pitfalls on the long and winding road’

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Basketball players Cody Riley, LiAngelo Ball and Jalen Hill attend a press conference on Wednesday at UCLA in Los Angeles, California, after flying back from China where they were detained on suspicion of shoplifting. Photo: Reuters

US President Donald Trump has exhorted three suspended UCLA basketball players to thank Chinese President Xi Jinping for their freedom following a shoplifting incident while they were in China.

“Do you think the three UCLA basketball players will say thank you President Trump. They were headed for 10 years in jail”, he tweeted on Wednesday.

The trio apologised later on Wednesday and publicly thanked Trump, who recently completed a tour of Asia, for his help.

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On Thursday morning, the president sent another tweet saying, “You’re welcome. go out and give a big Thank You to President Xi Jinping of China who made your release possible.”

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In the same tweet, the president said, “HAVE A GREAT LIFE! Be careful, there are many pitfalls on the long and winding road of life!”

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