The Philadelphia Eagles aren’t going to take being “disinvited” to the White House lying down.
The Super Bowl LII champions had their trip to our nation’s capital canceled by the president himself Monday night. President Donald Trump revoked the invitation, saying they disagree with him 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.”
Wide receiver Torrey Smith quickly pointed out a few issues he had with the president’s statement.
Then, FOX News on Monday night reported the story. The anchor’s copy was relatively straightforward and fair, but many noticed the photos accompanying the story.
FOX News used shots of Eagles players kneeling in prayer before the game — and not during the national anthem. In fact, the only anthem-related photo shown was one of two Eagles (Malcolm Jenkins and Rodney McLeod) standing with their fists in the air next to Chris Long, who stood with one hand on his heart and the other on Jenkins’ back.
(A tweet with the video report has since been deleted.)
Was FOX News — a right-leaning organization that has been praised plenty of times by Trump — trying to make it look like the Eagles (who didn’t kneel for the anthem at all last season) were kneeling during the anthem? Or was it just lazy, incorrect reporting?
Tight end Zach Ertz sure thought it was the former.
This can’t be serious…. Praying before games with my teammates, well before the anthem, is being used for your propaganda?! Just sad, I feel like you guys should have to be better than this… https://t.co/kYeyH2zXdK
— Zach Ertz (@ZERTZ_86) June 5, 2018
Ertz was far from alone. The FOX News tweet got more than 1,300 replies with a hearty amount of those responses accusing FOX of manipulating the story. There also has been backlash from the right.
Oof. Even the Media Research Center — a right-wing media watchdog that rarely, if ever, criticizes Fox News — is also going after Fox News for this "deceptive photo montage" https://t.co/mI5ztxEj5i
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) June 5, 2018
UPDATE (11:10 a.m. ET): FOX News has apologized, calling it an “error.” The network also deleted the tweet.
Regarding that misleading @Eagles b-roll here’s a statement and apology from Christopher Wallace, EP of FOX News @ Night w/ Shannon Bream: pic.twitter.com/OQCS4zV705
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) June 5, 2018
