President Donald Trump released a statement about the Philadelphia Eagles’ planned visit to the White House on Tuesday, uninviting the Super Bowl champions on Monday evening.
Here’s the full statement:
The Philadelphia Eagles are unable to come to the White House with their full team to be celebrated tomorrow. They disagree with their President 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. The Eagles wanted to send a smaller delegation, but the 1,000 fans planning to attend the event deserve better. These fans are still invited to the White House to be part of a different type of ceremony one that will honor our great country, pay tribute to the heroes who fight to protect it, and loudly and proudly play the National Anthem. I will be there at 3:00 p.m. with the United States Marine Band and the United States Army Chorus to celebrate America.
President Trump disinvited the Philadelphia Eagles late Monday from a planned White House celebration of the team’s Super Bowl championship, opening a new salvo in his culture war over National Football League players standing for the national anthem.
Less than 24 hours before the players were expected to arrive in the Rose Garden, Trump said he would appear with only the team’s fans and the United States Marine Band and Army Chorus, and the anthem would be played “loudly and proudly.”
The decision came after some Eagles players said they would skip the ceremony to protest the president and his rhetoric. In recent seasons, a number of NFL players starting with former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick have elected to take a knee during the playing of the national anthem to protest police brutality. Trump has repeatedly attacked those players, turning the controversy into a political cudgel that he sees as beneficial to his standing with supporters.
Zach Berman of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports fewer than 10 players planned on making the trip to the White House.
Trump later added that he considers staying in the locker room during the anthem as disrespectful as kneeling, but no Philadelphia players kneeled for the anthem last season or stayed in the locker room.
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. Staying in the Locker Room for the playing of our National Anthem is as disrespectful to our country as kneeling. Sorry!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 5, 2018
Smith, who is no longer with the Eagles and signed with the Panthers during the offseason, offered up his thoughts on the situation and attempted to clarify anything that was said about the situation that was not true.
So many lies smh
Here are some facts
1. Not many people were going to go
2. No one refused to go simply because Trump “insists” folks stand for the anthem
3. The President continues to spread the false narrative that players are anti military pic.twitter.com/89GUNhJ4eE— Torrey Smith (@TorreySmithWR) June 4, 2018
There are a lot of people on the team that have plenty of different views. The men and women that wanted to go should’ve been able to go. It’s a cowardly act to cancel the celebration because the majority of the people don’t want to see you. To make it about the anthem is foolish
— Torrey Smith (@TorreySmithWR) June 4, 2018
The Eagles released a statement of their own after the news broke, but made no mention of the White House visit or Trump.
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) June 5, 2018
Philadelphia mayor Jim Kenney also responded to Trump’s decision, and said Trump “is not a true patriot” and invited the Eagles to celebrate their Super Bowl LII win at City Hall.
