Despite all that has occurred in the past two weeks, it appears the president has not budged on his position.
President Donald Trump on Sunday night reacted to the recent apology from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell about the league's reaction to players peacefully protesting.
In the wake of the death of George Floyd and protests around the globe, Goodell said Friday the league was wrong for not listening to players. It is assumed this means players will be allowed to kneel during the National Anthem this season. Previously, a rule was put in place that players would be disciplined for taking a knee, which was done to protest racial inequality in America, specifically police brutality against African Americans.
For the past four years, Trump used the peaceful instances to fire up his base, saying it was a protest against the flag and calling the first player to take a knee, Colin Kaepernick, a "son of a bitch."
Despite all that has occurred in the past two weeks, it appears Trump has not budged on his position. "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?" he said via Twitter.
The president also recently criticized NFL quarterback Drew Brees, who recanted a statement he made last week when he said he was against any player kneeling in protest of the flag. After he was blasted by numerous pro athletes from a number of leagues, the Saints' star said he realized the protests had nothing to do with disrespecting the flag. What's more, he said he would support those who protested racial inequality.
Trump said Brees was wrong to backtrack. Brees responded that Trump was wrong for not thinking forward.
