The White House on Monday weighed in on the Baltimore Ravens cutting National Football League running back Ray Rice, saying violence against women must be “aggressively combated” after a video showed the player allegedly striking his wife.
White House press secretary Josh Earnest would not specifically endorse the Ravens’ personnel move but said that President Obama would continue to use the powers of his office to condemn violence against women.
“The scourge of violence against women is something that needs to be aggressively combated,” Earnest said in his daily briefing with reporters.
“It is unacceptable for men to perpetuate acts of violence against women,” Obama’s top spokesman added.
Earlier Monday, the Ravens terminated Rice’s contract after a video emerged that allegedly showed him punching his then-fiancee in a hotel elevator. The veteran player had already been suspended two games for the incident, but both the NFL and the Ravens said they had not previously seen the tape.
The NFL also announced an indefinite suspension against Rice on Monday.
