President of the United States, Donald Trump, says he will not watch NFL or US national football team games if players do not stand for the national anthem.
The United States Soccer Federation said last week that it had removed the requirement for players to stand during the anthem, stating that the policy was a mistake and undermined the Black Lives Matter movement.
The policy was implemented in 2017 after Megan Rapinoe, a member of the US women's national team, knelt during the anthem in solidarity with NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who began kneeling to raise awareness of racial injustice.
And it looks like the NFL is heading in that direction also, but not with me watching! pic.twitter.com/aGfBaK7RNA
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 13, 2020
"I won't be watching much," Trump tweeted on Saturday night in response to Republican congressman Matt Gaetz criticizing the decision of the US Soccer Federation. "And it looks like the NFL is heading in that direction also, but I won't be watching," Trump said.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said this month that the league had made mistakes by not listening to the players and denounced racism in the country amid protests against police brutality towards African Americans.
I won't be watching much anymore! pic.twitter.com/s8nCg9EJSW
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 13, 2020
The issue resurfaced last month following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, a black man who died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.
Trump has openly criticized athletes who kneel during the anthem, previously tweeting that NFL players who did so "disrespected our country and our flag". (D)