White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany reiterated President Trump’s steadfast disdain for kneeling protests seen across the nation and performed by some professional athletes as a way to speak out against police brutality in America.
“The president is very much against kneeling in general,” McEnany said Monday during a briefing with reporters at the White House. “The president has made clear for years that kneeling is tied to our national anthem, that it does not respect our military men and women across this country.”
Trump first criticized the kneeling protests when former NFL star-turned-Black Lives Matter activist Colin Kaepernick started a leaguewide movement when he knelt during the national anthem before games.
Trump, and his supporters, said the gesture disrespected the American flag and military.
Renewed calls for an end to police mistreatment of minorities have grown in the wake of George Floyd’s death, leading some players to indicate they will kneel again.
“Could it be even remotely possible that in Roger Goodell’s 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?” Trump tweeted Sunday.
Could it be even remotely possible that in Roger Goodell’s 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?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 8, 2020
