Trump Disinvites Philadelphia Eagles From White House Over National Anthem Dispute
President Trump has disinvited the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles from a planned visit to the White House on Tuesday.
(AP News) President Trump on Monday called off a visit by the Philadelphia Eagles to the White House Tuesday, citing the dispute over whether NFL players must stand during the playing of the national anthem.
Trump said in a statement that some members of the Super Bowl championship team “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.”
It remains unclear exactly what prompted the change of plans. The White House did not immediately response to questions about what had sparked the decision and why the circumstances were different from other events honoring winning teams, which some members have boycotted. The Eagles did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
The NFL recently announced a new policy requiring players to stand for the anthem if they’re on the field before a game, but gave them the option of staying in the locker room.