Trump NFL row: US president urges fans to boycott games
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media captionWarriors head coach Steve Kerr: Trump comments ‘awful’
US President Donald Trump has urged a boycott of the National Football League (NFL) to force teams to punish players who protest during the national anthem.
In a growing row with the sports world, Mr Trump repeated that such players should be fired or suspended.
The remarks have been condemned as “offensive” and “divisive”.
Mr Trump’s comments can be seen as an attempt to appeal to core supporters, the BBC’s North America reporter Anthony Zurcher says.
This is a fight Mr Trump relishes, our reporter adds, because he knows his base will flock to him when he questions the patriotism of wealthy athletes. It may also be a way of deflecting attention after a difficult week.
Mr Trump’s attacks first came at a rally in Alabama on Friday, after a week in which:
- His latest effort to repeal Obama-era healthcare legislation suffered a potentially fatal blow after Senator John McCain said he could not vote for it
- His candidate in Alabama’s Republican Senate runoff on Tuesday, Senator Luther Strange, lagged behind former State Supreme Court justice Roy Moore, polls suggested
However on Sunday several players from the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Baltimore Ravens were seen kneeling at the start of their game in London.
Warning: This article contains language some readers may find offensive.
What did Mr Trump say? Media playback is unsupported on your device Media captionMr Trump attacked protesting players at a rally in Alabama
In two tweets early on Sunday just hours before a series of NFL games, Mr Trump repeated his call for clubs to punish players who protest during the US anthem.
He was referring to a string of controversial protests started by player Colin Kaepernick last year when he sat or kneeled during the anthem to highlight the treatment of black Americans.
Skip Twitter post by @realDonaldTrump
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!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 24, 2017 Report
End of Twitter post by @realDonaldTrump
Skip Twitter post 2 by @realDonaldTrump
…NFL attendance and ratings are WAY DOWN. Boring games yes, but many stay away because they love our country. League should back U.S.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 24, 2017 Report
End of Twitter post 2 by @realDonaldTrump
To a crowd of cheering supporters on Friday, he said: “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now… he is fired’.”
Kaepernick led the San Francisco 49ers to the 2013 Super Bowl but his status in the team has declined since and he lost his starting place last year.
No team has offered him a job as a quarterback and his supporters say he is being pushed out because of his political action. But others say his status as a “free agent” is down to his performance on the field.
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What has been the reaction?
Mr Trump’s remarks on Friday have been widely criticised, with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell saying in a statement that “divisive comments like these demonstrate an unfortunate lack of respect”.
President Trump, however, doubled down on his comments in a tweet, saying: “Tell them to stand!”.
Image copyright Reuters Image caption Jacksonville Jaguars players kneel during the US anthem before a match in London
The NFL Players’ Association said the president had crossed a line by effectively telling players to just “shut up and play”.
Association president Eric Winston said Mr Trump’s comments were “a slap in the face to the civil rights heroes of the past and present”.
Reactions also included:
- New England Patriots CEO Robert Kraft said he was “deeply disappointed” by the comments, and that he supported players’ rights “to peacefully affect social change and raise awareness in a manner they feel is most impactful”
- Miami Dolphins owner and founder Stephen Ross said the US needed “unifying leadership right now, not more divisiveness” and that the players who protested were “smart young men of character who want to make our world a better place”
- Jed York, CEO of the San Francisco 49ers, Kaepernick’s former team, said he would continue to support his players, calling the comments “callous and offensive”
But there has been no comment from many teams, including New York Jets owner Woody Johnson, a wealthy businessman and Trump campaign donor who was appointed as his ambassador to the UK.
Image copyright Reuters Image caption Singer Stevie Wonder took to one knee during a concert in New York City on Saturday, saying: “Tonight, I’m taking a knee for America”
On Sunday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin defended Mr Trump’s comments on ABC’s This Week programme, saying: “I think the president can use whatever language he wants to use.”
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Who else has joined in the criticism? Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Bruce Maxwell said he was “in no way or form disrespecting my country or my flag” (file pic)
On Saturday night, the Oakland Athletics’ Bruce Maxwell became the first Major League Baseball player to kneel in protest during the national anthem, mimicking the gesture of protest started by Colin Kaepernick.
His father is in the military and he was born on an army base, US media report. He told a reporter he was “kneeling for people that don’t have a voice”.
Rally for controversial NFL player
What about the NBA row?
On Saturday, Mr Trump withdrew an invitation to the White House to basketball champions the Golden State Warriors after one player, Stephen Curry, said he did not want to attend.
Curry – NBA’s top performer in 2015 – said he wanted to show that he and other players did not stand for “the things that he’s said and the things that he hasn’t said in the right times”.
“Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team,” Mr Trump tweeted afterwards. “Stephen Curry is hesitating, therefore invitation is withdrawn!”
In response, triple NBA champion LeBron James, one of the sport’s foremost stars, labelled the President a “bum”.
“Going to White House was an honour until you showed up,” he said. Retired star Kobe Bryant also tweeted his support.
Skip Twitter post by @KingJames
U bum @StephenCurry30 already said he ain't going! So therefore ain't no invite. Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!
— LeBron James (@KingJames) September 23, 2017 Report
End of Twitter post by @KingJames
Skip Twitter post by @kobebryant
A #POTUS whose name alone creates division and anger. Whose words inspire dissension and hatred can't possibly "Make America Great Again"
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) September 23, 2017 Report
End of Twitter post by @kobebryant
The Golden State Warriors, meanwhile, said the team had clearly understood “that we are not invited” to the White House but would visit Washington DC on its own “to celebrate equality, diversity, and inclusion”.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said he was disappointed the team would not be visiting the White House but was “proud” of the players for speaking out.
Separately, 2017 college basketball champions the North Carolina Tar Heels announced they, too, would not be going to the White House to celebrate their victory, despite being invited.
A spokesman said a suitable date that worked for both parties could not be found.
