President Donald Trump went after NFL quarterback Drew Brees on Friday after Brees apologized for saying the George Floyd protests didn’t justify kneeling during the national anthem.
I am a big fan of Drew Brees. I think he’s truly one of the greatest quarterbacks, but he should not have taken back his original stance on honoring our magnificent American Flag. OLD GLORY is to be revered, cherished, and flown high…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 5, 2020
…We should be standing up straight and tall, ideally with a salute, or a hand on heart. There are other things you can protest, but not our Great American Flag – NO KNEELING!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 5, 2020
Trump’s Friday comments on Twitter came after the New Orleans Saints player made multiple apologies for his initial response to questions about kneeling during the national anthem.
Floyd died while in Minneapolis police custody after former police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into his neck for nearly nine minutes. (RELATED: ‘Very Disappointing’: Don Lemon Disappointed In Drew Brees After Comments The QB Made On Protests At Games)
Brees was asked Tuesday where he stood on a potential resurgence of players kneeling for the anthem in 2020’s NFL season. He initially responded, “I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country.” He also referenced the military service of both his grandfathers.
He published an apology for the statement to Instagram on Wednesday, followed by another on Thursday. (RELATED: Tony Dungy Defends Drew Brees, Says Shutting Down People You Disagree With ‘Doesn’t Make Sense’)
“I would like to apologize to my friends, teammates, the City of New Orleans, the black community, NFL community and anyone I hurt with my comments yesterday,” he wrote Wednesday.
“In an attempt to talk about respect, unity, and solidarity centered around the American flag and the national anthem, I made comments that were insensitive and completely missed the mark on the issues we are facing right now as a country,” Brees continued.
Trump has publicly denounced the riots which have erupted across the country and are generally associated with the protests following Floyd’s death.
He delivered a speech from the White House on Monday saying he is a “law and order president.”