Trump cancels Super Bowl winners fete
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Monday abruptly called off the White House celebration honoring the Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles, citing the dispute over the president’s demands that players stand during the national anthem.
White House officials said fewer than 10 members of the team were planning to attend the celebration this afternoon on the South Lawn despite weeks of planning for the event, which is usually a nonpolitical celebration of a football victory.
“The Philadelphia Eagles are unable to come to the White House with their full team to be celebrated tomorrow,” Trump said in a statement re- leased Monday evening. “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.”
Trump said in the statement that more than 1,000 fans who had been invited to the celebration would still be welcome at the White House for what he called “a different type of ceremony — one that will honor our great country, pay tribute to the heroes who fight to protect it, and loudly and proudly play the national anthem.”
Trump said he will “be there at 3 p.m. with the U.S. Marine Band and the U.S. Army Chorus to celebrate America.”
Team officials could not be reached for comment Monday evening, but some players disputed parts of the president’s statement. Torrey Smith, a former wide receiver for the Eagles, lashed out at Trump in a tweet shortly after the statement was released.
“So many lies,” Smith wrote. “Here are some facts 1. Not many people were going to go 2. No one refused to go simply because Trump ‘insists’ folks stand for the anthem 3. The President continues to spread the false narrative that players are anti military.”
Trump has been at the center of a national debate that began in September when he criticized former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick for kneeling during the national anthem in protest of police brutality toward blacks. Trump says the issue is about respect for the U.S. flag and has cast his position as the patriotic one.