President Donald Trump said that he will stop watching U.S. Soccer and NFL games after both entities showed support for players protesting the national anthem.
In a series of recent tweets and retweets, Trump said on Twitter that he would not watch any sport that had its athletes kneeling.
I won鈥檛 be watching much anymore!
鈥� Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
鈥淚 won鈥檛 be watching much anymore!鈥� Trump said in a retweeted response, referring to U.S. Soccer.
And it looks like the NFL is heading in that direction also, but not with me watching!
鈥� Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
In a follow-up response, Trump said that the NFL was 鈥渉eading in that direction also, but not with me watching!鈥�
Trump鈥檚 tweets were in response to Twitter comments by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) on Thursday that the United States should no longer have a national soccer team聽following the federation鈥檚 repeal of a policy requiring its players to stand during the national anthem.
I鈥檇 rather the US not have a soccer team than have a soccer team that won鈥檛 stand for the National Anthem.
You shouldn鈥檛 get to play under our flag as our national team if you won鈥檛 stand when it is raised.
鈥� Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz)
In a statement, U.S. Soccer said the policy was 鈥�.鈥�
The policy was put into place after U.S. Women鈥檚 National Team midfielder Megan Rapinoe began kneeling during the anthem in her club matches in a show of support of former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick鈥檚 protest against police brutality.
However, Gaetz announced that he to force U.S. Soccer to make its players stand for the national anthem.
“You shouldn鈥檛 get to play under our flag as our national team if you won鈥檛 stand when it is raised.” Gaetz said.
Meanwhile, several NFL players, such as Washington Redskins defensive end Chase Young and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, asking the league to condemn racism and 鈥渁dmit wrong in silencing our players for silencing protesting.鈥�
In a response video, Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league was wrong for not listening to players and 鈥渆ncourage all to speak out and peacefully protest.鈥�
Trump, who used the topic of protesting the national anthem to rally supporters during his 2016 presidential campaign, responded to Goodell鈥檚 video last week, questioning the NFL commissioner’s motives in supporting his players.
Could it be even remotely possible that in Roger Goodell鈥檚 rather interesting statement of peace and reconciliation, he was intimating that it would now be O.K. for the players to KNEEL, or not to stand, for the National Anthem, thereby disrespecting our Country & our Flag?
鈥� Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
After Kaepernick鈥檚 initial protest, the NFL attempted to enact a policy in 2018 requiring that all players to be on the field for the anthem.
Here鈥檚 the policy statement distributed to media.
鈥� Brian McCarthy (@NFLprguy)
But the NFL quickly scrapped the rule before the 2018-2019 season.
U.S. Soccer and the NFL have not responded to the president鈥檚 comments.
