President Donald Trump on Monday canceled his invitation for the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles to visit the White House after a number of players said they would skip the meeting to protest Trump.
The announcement came less than 24 hours before the team was scheduled to visit.
“The Philadelphia Eagles are unable to come to the White House with their full team to be celebrated tomorrow,” the White House said in a statement late Monday. “They disagree with their President because he insists that they proudly stand for the National Anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country. The Eagles wanted to send a smaller delegation, but the 1,000 fans planning to attend the event deserve better.”
Trump has just issued this statement about the Philadelphia Eagles' visit tomorrow: pic.twitter.com/ERm042RzwS[1]
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8)
The White House said fans would still be invited to come and “loudly and proudly play the national anthem.”
Trump has been a vocal critic of NFL players who kneel during the national anthem as a protest against police violence and systemic racism, saying last year that those players should be fired[3], and suggesting last month that they should leave the country[4]. In May, the NFL passed a rule penalizing players[5] who protest during the national anthem, though players would be allowed to stay in the locker room during the anthem.
Trump’s policies and behavior have also drawn criticism from NFL players.
Monday night, Trump tweeted an explanation, saying: “Unfortunately, only a small number of players decided to come, and we canceled the event,” adding that “Staying in the Locker Room for the playing of our National Anthem is as disrespectful to our country as kneeling.”
The Philadelphia Eagles Football Team was invited to the White House. Unfortunately, only a small number of players decided to come, and we canceled the event. Staying in the Locker Room for the playing of our National Anthem is as disrespectful to our country as kneeling. Sorry!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
According to a study by the blog Sports Pundit[7], no Eagles players knelt for the anthem last season.
While Eagles players reportedly voted last week to visit the White House, it was unclear how many would actually attend. The NFL Network said Monday that fewer than 10 players planned on attending, and a number of prominent players, including Malcolm Jenkins, Chris Long, LeGarrette Blount and Rodney McLeod, had said they would not take part.
“My son grows up, and I believe the legacy of our president is going to be what it is,” Long said in...