Donald Trump appeared pleased with the news that National Football League (NFL) Commissioner Roger Goodell was encouraging players to stand during the National Anthem, but took his tweet a bit too far. After claiming that Goodell and the NFL would "demand" players stand for the national anthem, the league was forced to correct the record.
NFL on Trump
While Donald Trump is facing uncertainty surrounding his health care and tax plans, in-fighting within his own administration, and global issues like the rift between the United States and North Korea, he has still found time to continue his feud with the NFL.
Trump's war of words with the league started last month when the president referred to players who protest the national anthem as a "son of a bitch," while calling on team owners to fire those who take part in the demonstration. In the aftermath of Trump's remarks, the majority of the sports world have spoken out in favor of the players. However, the president, his supporters, and many Republicans have come out strong against the league, with some calling for a boycott. On Tuesday, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell released a statement recommending that players stand during the national anthem, while follow-up reports note that the league will be discussing a possible mandate.
Despite this, Trump took to Twitter on Wednesday morning to claim that the NFL was "demanding" the players stand, which prompted the league to speak out, as reported by TMZ on October 11.
Donald Trump took to his Twitter feed on Wednesday morning, saying it was "about time" that Roger Goodell was "finally demanding that all players STAND for our great National Anthem." The former host of "The Apprentice" appeared almost celebratory over the news, though it appeared he jumped the gun.
Correct the record
Not long after Donald Trump sent out his tweet about the NFL national anthem protests, the league released an official statement to stop the president from spreading fake news. "Commentary this morning about the Commissioner's position on the Anthem is not accurate," the league said.
"The NFL is doing the hard work of trying to move from protest to progress, working to bring people together," the league continued. The statement then noted that while a discussion would take place about the national anthem protests, no "demand" was issued to the players. As of press time, Trump's tweet is still active and he's not offered a follow-up post in response to the league's statement.