Trump calls off Eagles’ White House visit
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump reignited his feud with the NFL on Monday, abruptly cancelling a White House reception for the Philadelphia Eagles over players who kneel during the national anthem to protest social injustice.
In a brief statement, Trump said he was scrapping yesterday’s scheduled reception for the reigning Super Bowl champions after several Eagles players indicated they planned not to attend.
“The Philadelphia Eagles are unable to come to the White House with their full team to be celebrated tomorrow,” Trump said.
“They disagree with their president because he insists that they proudly stand for the national anthem, hand on heart, in honour 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 said in lieu of the reception, he would host an alternative ceremony for fans that would “honour our great country, pay tribute to the heroes who fight to protect it and loudly and proudly play the national anthem.”
His move was the latest twist in an acrimonious feud between Trump and protesting NFL players.
Trump triggered widespread protests by mostly black NFL athletes last year after describing players who kneeled during the national anthem to protest racial injustice as “sons of bitches” who should be fired.
The Eagles’ roster contains several prominent figures from the NFL player protest movement, and some, including safety Malcolm Jenkins and defensive end Chris Long, had already indicated they planned not to attend.
Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie has also been critical of Trump, and reportedly described his presidency as “disastrous,” according to a New York Times report earlier this year.
Nevertheless, the Eagles had stopped short of pulling out of the traditional White House reception for the winners of the Super Bowl.
Head coach Doug Pederson instead said last month it would be left to individual players to decide whether they wished to attend.
Former Eagles wide receiver Torrey Smith tweeted that “not many” Eagles players had planned to go anyway.
“So many lies,” Smith wrote in response to Trump’s White House statement. “No one refused to go simply because Trump ‘insists’ folks stand for the anthem... The President continues to spread the false narrative that players are anti military.”