President Trump last night and this morning doubled down on his comments toward pregame protests. Trump this morning tweeted, "So proud of NASCAR and its supporters and fans. They won't put up with disrespecting our Country or our Flag - they said it loud and clear! ... Many people booed the players who kneeled yesterday (which was a small percentage of total). These are fans who demand respect for our Flag! ... The issue of kneeling has nothing to do with race. It is about respect for our Country, Flag and National Anthem. NFL must respect this!" Trump last night added, "Sports fans should never condone players that do not stand proud for their National Anthem or their Country. NFL should change policy!" Donald Trump Jr. also criticized the NFL on Twitter, posting, "If only Roger Goodell cared as much about domestic abuse and traumatic brain injury as he does about disrespecting America" (TWITTER).
Trump commented on Patriots Owner Robert Kraft’s comment yesterday saying he was "deeply disappointed" in the President's comments. Trump said, "That’s OK. He has to take his ideas and go with what he wants. I think it's very disrespectful to our country. I think it's very, very disrespectful to our flag." Trump added, "He's a good friend of mine, and I want him to do what he wants to do" (BOSTON GLOBE, 9/25).
The N.Y. TIMES writes Trump is "unlikely to back down in the face of criticism." The PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE writes, "Welcome to the most bizarre Sunday in NFL history." The Bergen RECORD writes yesterday was a "decidedly unsettled NFL day, when the games somehow felt secondary to the off-the-field conversations." CBS' Armen Keteyian yesterday tweeted, "I've been covering sports in one form or another for 45 years. I've never seen a day like today. The NFL stood strong. On a knee."
The situation around Trump and the NFL remained front-page news today for several major publications:
Washington Post: "NFL Players Stand In Solidarity"
N.Y. Times: "Protesters Refuse To Stand On The Sidelines"
L.A. Times: "An NFL Sunday Of Quiet Protest"
Dallas Morning News: "Anthem Protest Expands"
Chicago Tribune: "Protests Sweep NFL After Trump's Swipes"
Boston Globe: "Patriots Display Solidarity"
USA Today: "NFL Finds Unity In Its Rebuke of Trump"
N.Y. Post: "Knee The People"
N.Y. Daily News: "Knee To The Groin"
