Donald Trump always has voiced his opinions on kneeling during the national anthem, and now he’s slamming NBA players who are doing so in Orlando.
A majority of players and coaches are locking arms and kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial inequality and police brutality, and it isn’t sitting well with the president.
“When I see people kneeling during the playing and disrespecting our flag and national anthem, what I do personally is turn off the game,” Trump said Wednesday morning in a phone interview with “FOX & Friends,” according to TMZ Sports.
“I think it’s disgraceful. We work with [the NBA], we worked with them very hard trying to get open. I was pushing for them to get open. Then I see everybody kneeling during the anthem. That’s not acceptable to me. When I see them kneeling during the game, I just turn off the game. I have no interest in the game. Let me tell you this, plenty of other people out there, too.”
In the interview, Trump also claimed that the NBA’s television ratings are way down, which isn’t the case at all. According to various sports media outlets, the ratings are up 14 % from when the season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump has publicly blasted anyone who has knelt during the anthem in the past, including Colin Kaepernick who began the movement while he was still with the San Francisco 49ers in 2016.
Since the NBA season resumed, only four people — two players, two coaches — have stood for the national anthem, including Miami Heat forward Meyers Leonard.
NBA players also are supporting the Black Lives Matter movement by wearing social justice causes on their jerseys throughout the remainder of the season.
