Trump rescinds Eagles’ White House invite

Less than 24 hours before President Trump was to welcome the Super Bowl champion Eagles to the White House, he rescinded the invitation Monday.

Several members of the team, including safety Malcolm Jenkins and defensive end Chris Long, said before Trump extended the invitation that if invited they would not attend.

“The Philadelphia Eagles are unable to come to the White House with their full team to be celebrated tomorrow,” Trump wrote in a statement. “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. These fans are still invited to be part of a different type of ceremony.”

Jenkins and Long are among several players who voiced support for former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who in 2016 began kneeling to protest police brutality and racial inequality.

Trump’s statement belies the reason many players have declined trips to the White House during his term.

Torrey Smith, who played for the Eagles but was traded in the offseason, tweeted Monday: “So many lies smh 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”

Last September, the possibility of a White House visit for the NBA champion Golden State Warriors broke down after Trump took issue with star Stephen Curry saying he would not go. Instead, the Warriors focused on education and community service during their February visit to the capital.