Trump to NFL owners: ‘Fire sons of b*****s who protest against the national anthem’
US president draws loud cheers and chants of ‘USA’ at rally in Alabama
Donald Trump launched a foul-mouthed tirade at NFL players who protest the playing of The Star-Spangled Banner at games, urging team owners to “fire” athletes who take a knee or raise a fist during the anthem.
Speaking at a Republican rally in Alabama, the American president drew loud cheers and chants of “USA, USA, USA” when he said fans should “leave the stadium” when it happens because it shows “disrespect of our heritage”.
“Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now, out, he’s fired. He’s fired!’” Trump said at the rally podium.
“You know, some owner is going to do that. He’s going to say, ‘That guy that disrespects our flag, he’s fired.’ And that owner, they don’t know it [but] they’ll be the most popular person in this country.”
The protests began last year when quarterback Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for the anthem to protest racial injustice and police brutality.
Several more players have since joined in, nearly all of them black.