President Trump said Monday night that the White House Super Bowl event was canceled because so few players were attending — while he also blasted the NFL’s new policy on the national anthem.
“The Philadelphia Eagles Football Team was invited to the White House. Unfortunately, only a small number of players decided to come, and we canceled the event,” Trump tweeted.
“Staying in the Locker Room for the playing of our National Anthem is as disrespectful to our country as kneeling. Sorry!”
Trump sparked mass protests during the 2017 NFL season when he said that players who knelt during the anthem should be dragged “off the field.”
The NFL decided last week that players must stand on the field during the national anthem — but gave them the option to remain in the locker room during the ceremony.
Earlier on Monday night, the White House said it will be holding a “Celebration of America” instead of hosting the Super Bowl champion Eagles.
It was not clear if the cancellation of the Super Bowl event had anything to do with the new NFL anthem policy or if that was a separate issue that Trump included in his tweet.