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US President Donald Trump once again savaged at players and coaches who kneel during the national anthem before sporting events. He also threatened to change the channel in a protest that could include many of his supporters. It is noteworthy that President Trump criticized athletes and coaches for using the gesture to protest perceived police aggression towards black Americans and social inequality just hours after San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler and several players took a knee during the anthem before an exhibition game. Trump tweeted and said, “Looking forward to Live sports, but any time I witness a player kneeling during the National Anthem. A sign of great disrespect for our Country and our Flag, the game is over for me”!

Point to be noted that Trump first criticized when then-San Francisco 49ers starting quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee and spoke out again the perceived police violence against black people. The move led to Kaepernick eventually being blackballed out of the league despite once being one of its top QBs. But NFL owners deny that charge. President Trump has been battling the league and its players for several years, just one of his myriad culture war foes since taking office in January 2017. The president also has falsely claimed the NFL’s television ratings are in decline due to the pregame protests. The American people just cannot get enough of the NFL, with or without anthem kneeling.

It is important that the league’s TV ratings rose by 5% during last season, with all of its media partners including CBS, ESPN, Fox, and NBC. It marked the 2^nd consecutive season in which NFL ratings increased. President Trump made the same threat to not watch NFL action if players kneel in his 2^nd June tweets as the league continues struggling to find a way to keep players healthy as the season fast approaches. Kapler is reportedly the first coach or manager of a major American sports team to take a knee. He said, “I wanted them to know that I wasn’t pleased with the way our country has handled police brutality. I told them that I wanted to amplify their voices and I wanted to amplify the voice of the black community, and marginalized communities as well”.