Amid a firestorm of criticism from celebrities, pro athletes, and team owners, the White House on Monday defended President Trump’s recent remarks calling an NFL player who refuses to stand for the national anthem a “son of a [expletive].”
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said during Monday’s press briefing that the President isn’t “against anyone,” but is “for honoring our national anthem.”
“Look, this isn’t about the president being against anyone,” she said. “This is about the president and millions of Americans being for something – being for honoring our flag, honoring our national anthem, and honoring the men and women that fought to defend it.”
When asked whether she believes the President went “too far” with his comments, Sanders replied, “I think it is always appropriate for the President of the United States to defend our flag, to defend the national anthem, and to defend the men and women who fought and died to defend it.”
President Trump during a rally in Alabama Friday night said that players who protest the national anthem should get fired.
"Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, 'Get that son of a [expletive] off the field right now, out, he's fired. He's fired,'" Trump said. "You know, some owner is going to do that. He's going to say, 'That guy that disrespects our flag, he's fired.' And that owner, they don't know it [but] they'll be the most popular person in this country."
He followed up those comments on Twitter Saturday afternoon, saying that NFL players “should not be allowed to disrespect our Great American Flag (or Country).”
Trump added that NFL ratings are "way down" as a result of such protests and that the organization should change its policy on the issue.
NFL commissioners Roger Goodell issued a statement calling the remarks “divisive” without referring to President Trump by name.
Trump responded on Twitter, “Roger Goodell of NFL just put out a statement trying to justify the total disrespect certain players show to our country.Tell them to stand!”
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