Trump slams NFL kneelers, wants them to ‘be suspended without pay’

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President Trump on Friday again expressed his displeasure with NFL players kneeling for the national anthem, claiming the players are unable to articulate what they are kneeling about.

“The NFL players are at it again – taking a knee when they should be standing proudly for the National Anthem,” Trump tweeted. “Numerous players, from different teams, wanted to show their ‘outrage’ at something that most of them are unable to define. They make a fortune doing what they love……”

[Opinion: NFL national anthem kneelers are a political gift to Trump]


Trump said that players should find another time and venue to engage in protests, proposing that players who continue should be suspended without pay.

“…..Be happy, be cool! A football game, that fans are paying soooo much money to watch and enjoy, is no place to protest,” Trump posted to Twitter Friday morning. “Most of that money goes to the players anyway. Find another way to protest. Stand proudly for your National Anthem or be Suspended Without Pay!”

During a Thursday night preseason game, two Miami Dolphins players knelt on the field for The Star-Spangled Banner.

Previously, the Dolphins enacted a policy that would suspend players for up to four games if they knelt in protest during the anthem.

The National Football League owners voted to change the rules surrounding the national anthem protests earlier this year, indicating that teams could set their own policies. The rule, if enacted, would have required players who stayed on the field to stand for the national anthem, or face a fine, or would allow players to stay in the locker room during the national anthem.

However, the policy proposals were suspended as the league engaged in talks with the players’ union.

“The NFL and NFLPA, through recent discussions, have been working on a resolution to the anthem issue. In order to allow this constructive dialogue to continue, we have come to a standstill agreement on the NFLPA’s grievance and on the NFL’s anthem policy. No new rules relating to the anthem will be issued or enforced for the next several weeks while these confidential discussions are ongoing,” the statement said.

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