Trump Puts NFL and ESPN in the Crosshairs in Rant at Rally

"Unlike the NFL, you always honor and cherish our great American flag," the president told supporters.

trump painting
(Chris Kleponis - Pool/Getty Images)
Getty Images

ESPN announced last week it won’t be showing the national anthem during NFL games over fears players won’t stand for it.

No surprise, but President Donald Trump isn’t standing for that.

At a rally in West Virginia last night, Trump went back to his rhetoric well and attacked the NFL for its handling of the anthem protests. As a change of pace, this time he mentioned ESPN.

“You’re proud of our country, you’re proud of our history, and unlike the NFL, you always honor and cherish our great American flag,” Trump said. “It was just announced by ESPN that rather than defending our anthem, our beautiful, beautiful national anthem and defending our flag, they’ve decided that they just won’t broadcast when they play the national anthem. We don’t like that.”

And, while he failed to address the legal issues of Paul Manafort and Michael Cohen, Trump did find time to mention the NFL players who have knelt, and continue to kneel, to draw attention to social justice issues.

“So while the players are kneeling – some of them, not all of them at all – you’re all proudly standing for out national anthem,” Trump said.

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