President Trump again waded into the NFL’s national anthem kneeling controversy by mentioning it Sunday in his official Super Bowl ‘presidential message’ to the nation.
In three paragraphs, the president spoke about how many members of the country’s armed forces ‘are unable to be home with family and friends to enjoy this evening’s American tradition,’ pitting them squarely against the NFL players taking a knee during the Star Spangled banner to protest racial inequality.
‘We hold them in our hearts and thank them for our freedom as we proudly stand for that National Anthem,’ the president said of the troops.
No players on the New England Patriots nor the Philadelphia Eagles took a knee during the performing of the anthem, by pop singer Pink.
President Trump waves to supporters as he leaves his golf club for Mar-a-Lago Sunday. He returns to the golf club tonight for a Super Bowl party
President Trump was spotted Sunday as he traveled between the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach and Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach
President Trump spent a quiet day at his golf club except for tweeting about an Amtrak crash and issuing a statement about tonight’s Super Bowl
Trump’s insertion into this debate isn’t surprising as he continually complained about the NFL players’ protest throughout his first year in office.
At Tuesday night’s State of the Union debate, the president referred to it again, as he applauded the work of 12-year-old Preston Sharp, one of his guests, whose Flag and Flower challenge inspired Americans to decorate veterans’ graves.
‘Preston’s reverence for those who have served our nation reminds us why we salute our flag, why we put our hands on our hearts for the Pledge of Allegiance, and why we proudly stand for the national anthem,’ Trump said.
It was in September, however, that Trump really put the issue front and center.
Visiting Alabama to support Republican Sen. Luther Strange, the appointed replacement of Attorney General Jeff Sessions who was running in the special election, the president mused to the crowd, ‘you know what’s hurting the game?’
‘When people like yourselves turn on the television, and you see those people taking the knee when they are playing out great national anthem,’ Trump continued, drawing a distinction between the mostly white audience and the predominantly black football-playing protesters.
Over the course of the speech, Trump advised that fans start boycotting the game.
‘Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, “Get that son of a b**** off the field right now. Out He’s fired. He’s fired,”‘ Trump went on.
Over the next few weeks, Trump continued warring with the NFL, tweeting things like, ‘If NFL fans refuse to go to games until players stop disrespecting our Flag & Country, you will see change take place fast. Fire or suspend!’ Trump wrote.
‘NFL attendance and ratings are WAY DOWN. Boring games yes, but many stay away because they love our country. League should back U.S.,’ the president said.
Vice President Mike Pence also gave Trump dramatic backing.
Pence, the former governor of Indiana, visited an Indianapolis Colts game on October 8 and when some players on the field took the knee, he walked out.
‘I left today’s Colts game because President Trump and I will not dignify any event that disrespects our soldiers, our Flag, or our National Anthem,’ Pence said in a statement that the White House quickly pushed out to reporters.
Soon after Pence exited the game, Trump took credit for it being his idea.
‘I asked @VP Pence to leave stadium if any players kneeled, disrespecting our country. I am proud of him and @SecondLady Karen,’ Trump wrote on Twitter.
While the president has vocally criticized the players’ protest movement, he didn’t skip the big game.
The president watched the Super Bowl at his Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, as he spends the weekend at nearby Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.
He spent his Sunday at his golf club and only sent out one tweet – about an early a.m. Amtrak crash – along with the White House statement on the game.