US President Donald Trump says he won’t watch the NFL or MLS anymore if players begin to protest during the national anthem when they return.
The comments come after the US Soccer Federation confirmed last week it was removing a policy made in 2017 that players stand during the national anthem.
The requirement was made after US women’s national team member Megan Rapinoe took a knee during the anthem before a National Women’s Soccer League match in 2016.
Rapinoe made the gesture to show her support for then-NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick who was kneeling during the anthem before his games to call attention to racial injustice.
US Soccer instituted the controversial policy soon after but last week said they made a mistake and were removing it, saying it detracted from the Black Lives Matter movement currently sweeping the US.
The NFL has also changed its tune regarding protests towards the anthem, saying players should be allowed to do so.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell publicly added the NFL was wrong to not listen to its players earlier, having effectively ended Kaepernick’s career for his protests.
US politicians Matt Gaetz and Jim Jordan tweeted their criticism of the move and the President jumped on it soon after with words for the NFL also.
“I won’t be watching anymore,” Trump tweeted in response to Gaetz.
“And it looks like the NFL is heading in that direction also, but not with me watching!”
The NFL hopes to get its season underway in September after the Covid-19 pandemic while MLS has revamped its season for the coronavirus to begin next month.
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