The National Football League Players Association said Tuesday that several charity events in the Washington, D.C. area have been canceled following President Donald Trump’s decision to rescind the Philadelphia Eagles’ invitation to the White House on Monday. (RELATED: Trump Cancels Eagles Reception Over National Anthem Protests)
— NFLPA (@NFLPA) June 5, 2018
“This decision by the White House has led to the cancellation of several player-led community service events for young people in the Washington, D.C. area,” the Players Association said.
Blaming the White House for the fact that the events were canceled, the statement concluded, “NFL players love their country, support our troops, give back to their communities and strive to make America a better place.”
Critics immediately questioned why the charitable events needed to be canceled, since they were planned in conjunction with the trip to the White House but had nothing to do with the president. They asked, “were the Eagles disinvited from the city of Washington, D.C., as well?”
Others pointed out the fact that the only people who would suffer as a result of the decision to cancel the events were the ones who needed them most.
The NFL has not offered any explanation as to why those members of the team who planned to participate could not travel the 140 miles on their own and carry out the charitable events without the White House visit.