As President’s NFL war heats up Dallas does Donald
Donald Trump insists his charged comments that prompted symbolic NFL protests were about patriotism, not colour.
Donald Trump has denied inflaming racial tensions, insisting his charged comments that prompted a wave of symbolic protests by NFL players were about patriotism, not colour.
After verbal attacks on black athletes led players across the country to kneel during the national anthem, the US President played defence on Twitter.
Mr Trump had started the furore by attacking players such as Colin Kaepernick as “sons of bitches” who should be fired. Kaepernick first went down on one knee through renditions of The Star-Spangled Banner during last year’s American football season to protest against police brutality against African-Americans.
In a separate feud, Mr Trump also rescinded an invitation to basketball superstar Stephen Curry to a White House event.
More than 150 pro football players took a defiant stance in the past four days, kneeling, linking arms or raising clenched fists during the anthem before 14 games. Yesterday Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones took a knee with his players before the anthem.
Prominent players continued to speak out against Mr Trump.
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who has said he considers the President a friend, said he disagreed with Mr Trump’s remarks. “I thought it was just divisive,” Brady said.
Mr Trump urged fans to boycott the NFL as long as the protests continued. Late on Monday (AEST) he insisted: “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!”
Twelve hours later, he denied any rifts about the issue with his influential chief of staff. “General John Kelly totally agrees w/ my stance on NFL players and the fact that they should not be disrespecting our FLAG or GREAT COUNTRY!”
Mr Trump earlier targeted the NFL players who protested. “Many people booed the players who knelt yesterday (which was a small percentage of total). These are fans who demand respect for our flag!” he tweeted.
He then posted: “Tremendous backlash against the NFL and its players for disrespect of our country.” He pointed to the Pittsburgh Penguins’ acceptance of a White House invitation and support from car-racing fans.
“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!” he tweeted.
Only a few NASCAR drivers have been African-American, but driver Dale Earnhardt took to Twitter with a quote from former president John F. Kennedy: “All Americans R granted rights 2 peaceful protests. Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.”
Mr Trump drew a backlash from basketball players, including superstar LeBron James, who described him as a “bum”.
“He doesn’t understand how many kids, no matter the race, look up to the President of the United States for guidance, for leadership, for words of encouragement,” James said. “The people run this country. Not one individual. And damn sure not him.”
The White House denied Mr Trump’s “son of a bitch” remarks were unbecoming of his office.
“I think that it’s always appropriate for the President of the United States to defend our flag, to defend the national anthem, and to defend the men and women who fought and died to defend it,” spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said. “The President is not talking about race.”
Advisers suggested the row played well with Mr Trump’s white base. He changed his Twitter background photo to a US flag and said the “White House never looked more beautiful than it did returning last night”.
That led critics to accuse him of creating a diversion. His efforts to repeal Barack Obama’s healthcare reforms have run aground, his tax plan is much less ambitious and a war of words with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un threatens to become a shooting war.
AFP, Reuters
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