Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Monday said President Trump’s recent remarks about NFL protests and the statements were “deeply troubling.”
“Well, I think it’s deeply troubling that the president would be attacking black athletes for expressing their opinions peacefully… And I just couldn’t help thinking that he has attacked these black athletes for peacefully protesting, but he doesn’t really attack white supremacists, neo-Nazis, Ku Klux Klanners, or Vladimir Putin, who interfered in our election,” Clinton told SiriusXM host Zerlina Maxwell on Monday.
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Trump initiated the discussion regarding football players taking a knee during the national anthem on Friday during a rally for Alabama Sen. Luther Strange.
“We are proud of our country. We respect our flag,” Trump said at the rally. “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. He’s fired!'”
Trump continued the discussion on Twitter throughout the weekend in a series of tweets, calling for players who do not stand for the national anthem to be fired.
“If a player wants the privilege of making millions of dollars in the NFL,or other leagues, he or she should not be allowed to disrespect our Great American Flag (or Country) and should stand for the National Anthem,” he said in two separate tweets. “If not, YOU’RE FIRED. Find something else to do!”
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
“If NFL fans refuse to go to games until players stop disrespecting our Flag & Country, you will see change take place fast,” he tweeted later. “Fire or suspend!”
Trump tweeted Monday afternoon, “Tremendous backlash against the NFL and its players for disrespect of our Country. #StandForOurAnthem.”
Tremendous backlash against the NFL and its players for disrespect of our Country.#StandForOurAnthem??
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 25, 2017
In response to Trump’s criticism of those protesting the national anthem, more than 100 NFL players across various teams on Sunday decided to kneel rather than stand.
