Trump: 'Disgraceful' for NBA players to kneel during national anthem
President Donald Trump took aim at NBA players who have regularly been kneeling during the national anthem.
"I think it's disgraceful," Trump said during his appearance on Fox and Friends on Wednesday. "We worked with (the NBA), we worked with them very hard trying to get them open. I was pushing to get them open, and then I see everybody kneeling during the anthem. It's not acceptable to me."
In April, Trump spoke with several professional sports league commissioners, including Adam Silver, about encouraging restart plans.
"When I see people kneeling during the playing, disrespecting our flag, disrespecting our national anthem, what I do personally is turn off the game," Trump said. "And the ratings for the basketball are way down if you know, and I hear some others are way down too, including baseball."
Last week, the NBA reported that restart opening night TV ratings on TNT had more than doubled its regular-season average.
HEADLINES
- Key takeaways and analysis from Week 12 in the NFL
- NFL Playoff Picture - Week 12: Postseason seeds, projected draft order
- Saquon rushes for 255 yards, sets Eagles record in win over Rams
- Packers' Nixon dismisses 49ers' injury excuse: 'They should've came to play'
- Nylander brothers relish 'special' opportunity to play together