President Donald Trump thinks the NFL kneeling protests would never have gained popularity if the league had formally disciplined former San Francisco 49ers player Colin Kaepernick for kneeling during the national anthem in protest of police brutality.
While speaking to Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Wednesday night’s episode, Trump called Kaepernick’s protests “terrible,” but claimed they could have been prevented.
“I watched Colin Kaepernick and I thought it was terrible. And then it got bigger and bigger and started mushrooming,” Trump told Hannity, according to a Fox News producer’s transcript of the show.
“And frankly the NFL should have suspended him for one game and he would have never done it gain,” he continued. “They could have then suspended him for two games and they could have suspended him again if he did it a third time for the season, and you would have never had a problem.”
Earlier Wednesday, Trump tweeted that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell made a change in NFL policy requiring athletes to stand during the anthem. This statement was incorrect, and forced the NFL to clarify that the league still does not require players to stand during the anthem.
It is about time that Roger Goodell of the NFL is finally demanding that all players STAND for our great National Anthem-RESPECT OUR COUNTRY
Kaepernick began his peaceful protest in 2016 as a quarterback for the 49ers by taking a knee during the national anthem during a pre-season game. Kaepernick explained at the time that he was protesting racial injustice and police violence against black people.
“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick told NFL.com at the time. “This is bigger than football, and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”
Kaepernick’s protest inspired other NFL athletes to make various similar gestures of protest during the pre-game anthems throughout the rest of the season, including kneeling, linking arms, raising a fist or missing the anthem altogether.
While some Americans support the athletes’ decisions to protest racial inequality, others have found them disrespectful to the American flag, members of the military and law enforcement.
Former NBA guard Darius Morris has died at the age of 33. He played for five teams during his four NBA seasons. Morris played college basketball at Michigan.
Jason Fitz and Frank Schwab join forces to recap the draft in the best way they know how: letter grades! Fitz and Frank discuss all 32 teams division by division as they give a snapshot of how fans should be feeling heading into the 2024 season. The duo have key debates on the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders and more.
This year’s Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholder meeting marked a new era for the Oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffett. It’s the investing legend’s first without his right-hand man, Charlie Munger.
The first electric vehicle I ever drove was a Tesla Roadster in 2011. It was with great anticipation that I slid behind the wheel of the 2025 Acura ZDX Type S. Sure, it's a midsize SUV, but it wears the Type S moniker, a name reserved only for the most fun-to-drive in the Acura stable. On launch, the ZDX will be available in A-Spec and Type S trims -- both of which come equipped with a 102 kWh battery.