United States President Donald Trump was in Montana on Thursday for a political rally, and POTUS played the hits.
Toward the end of the event, Trump addressed the NFL’s new national anthem policy — which gives players the option to either stand on the field or stay in the locker during the anthem — for the umpteenth time.
“If you don’t respect the flag or you don’t like the country or whatever it is, just go into the locker room,” Trump said, via Yahoo! Sports. “Just go into the locker room. I think in many respects that’s worse. Isn’t that worse than having them not standing?”
Following the Philadelphia Eagles-White House fiasco, Trump said staying in the locker room was “as disrespectful” as kneeling during the anthem.
So, it appears the president has soured on the new anthem policy. Or he was just playing to the crowd.
Who knows.
Trump also bashed NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, and seemingly took credit for the league’s decline in TV ratings.
“This commissioner, where this guy comes from I have no idea,” Trump told the crowd. “They’re paying him $40 million a year and their ratings are down 20 percent.
“You know why their ratings are down? Yes, the flag, but their ratings are down because people find politics — in other words, hitting Trump incorrectly, but hitting Trump — they find that to be much tougher, meaner and more interesting than watching a football game. They actually do.”
For the record: The NFL’s ratings were down approximately 10 percent last season, per Yahoo.
The beat goes on.
