With defensive lineman Brandon Graham and a few of his fellow Philadelphia Eagles players already pledging to boycott the White House on Tuesday to celebrate their Super Bowl victory, President Trump punted the team’s invitation altogether Monday evening.
The president said in a statement that he cannot accommodate the team because players should “proudly stand for the National Anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country.”
Politics has seeped into the NFL at least since last season when the president criticized players, like Malcolm Jenkins, who kneel during the national anthem.
[Also read: NFL players union ‘disappointed’ by Trump’s decision to snub the Philadelphia Eagles]
Trump added that a group of 1,000 fans are still able to attend a “different type” of event, one which he said “will honor our great country, pay tribute to the heroes who fight to protect it, and loudly and proudly play the National Anthem.”
Benny Bromberg, a fan of the team, told the Washington Examiner that the opinions of players should be respected. “At the end of the day every person can choose what they would like to do,” he said. “As a Republican, if given the chance to visit the White House to see a Republican president who is off his rocker … I would decline as well.”
Bromberg added, “My biggest bewilderment is that I don’t understand why people can’t respect each other if they have different political opinions.”
Late last month, Graham shared a bashful letter from a fan on his Instagram account due to the fan stating as a postscript that “You have my permission to share this letter to you’re a—hole team mates – so they know how a long time [sic] Eagle fan feels about you miserable bastards.”
“I always felt you are an all right regular guy, who loved America, but you have clearly shown your intense hatred towards America,” Robert Kalman wrote in the letter, dated April 25. “I am appalled that you and a couple of your a–hole teammates are turning down an offer made by President Trump to visit our nations White House, as the Super Bowl Football Champions.”
The fan added that if he owned the Eagles, he would cut any player, including Graham, who declines to go to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
“To say I am totally disappointed in your decision is tremendously understated,” Kalman said. “And as a result I am no longer a fan of yours. It would be great news, to me, to see you let go from the team.”
Last month, NFL owners unanimously approved a rule, fining teams whose players or any other personnel attempt to protest the anthem, which has been done to demonstrate race relations and other related issues.
Jackson Richman (@JacksonRichman) is an editor and daily columnist at The National Discourse.
