Trump’s comments “shouldn’t be about the NFL against the president. This should be about our country coming together,” Huckabee Sanders said during Thursday’s White House press briefing.
Reporter April Ryan attempted to clarify her question, pointing out that many players are protesting racial injustices, to which Huckabee Sanders responded, “I don’t think there’s much to clarify. It’s pretty black and white there.”
Trump and the NFL have been in an ongoing feud since Friday, when the president said that any player who did not stand for the anthem was a “son of a bitch” who should be fired.
The protests began last year when then-quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, Colin Kaepernick, repeatedly knelt during the anthem as a demonstration against police violence toward people of color.
The president’s comments drew national debates about free speech and the right to protest. While a number of players said the kneeling is a statement about racism in the country, Trump has insisted the issue is about respect for the country and the flag.
