Donald Trump continued his Twitter tirade well into Sunday, slamming the NFL for it’s low ratings and attendance, while praising those who stood for the national anthem while protesting with “locked arms.”
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!
โ Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 24, 2017
…NFL attendance and ratings are WAY DOWN. Boring games yes, but many stay away because they love our country. League should back U.S.
โ 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. Fire or suspend!” Trump tweeted.
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He went on to say half an hour later that the games are “boring.”
“NFL attendance and ratings are WAY DOWN. Boring games yes, but many stay away because they love our country. League should back U.S.,” he wrote.
On Sunday afternoon, he followed up to his NFL tweets, writing those who stood together with locked arms to protest during the national anthem showed “great solidarity.”
Great solidarity for our National Anthem and for our Country. Standing with locked arms is good, kneeling is not acceptable. Bad ratings!
โ Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 24, 2017
The tweets follow comments made by Goodell who said the NFL and its players were at their best when they create a sense of unity in the United States and culture.
There is no better example than the amazing response from our clubs and players to the terrible natural disasters we’ve experienced over the last month,” Goodell said in the statement shared by USA Today, adding it showed an “unfortunate lack of respect” for the NFL.
“Divisive comments like these demonstrate an unfortunate lack of respect for the NFL, our great game and all of our players, and a failure to understand the overwhelming force for good our clubs and players represent in our communities,” he said, condemning the president’s remarks.
The comments seemed to spark upset in the president who sandwiched one of tweets to Goodell on Saturday night between foreign affair matters, adding the commissioner was trying to “justify the total disrespect certain players show to our country.”
Controversy has been surrounding the league all weekend long as Trump suggested at an Alabama rally on Friday that players who kneel or sit for the national anthem stemming from San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s stance, should be fired.
“Get that son of a b—- off the field right now, out. He’s fired. He’s fired!” Trump said.
This past weekend, a growing number of current players and former players have released statement condemning Trump’s remarks which infringe on what the ACLU states is an American’s right to a peaceful protest under the First Amendment.
“The right to join with fellow citizens in protest or peaceful assembly is critical to a functioning democracy and at the core of the First Amendment.”