Donald Trump disinvites Eagles to White House
On Tuesday a few, but certainly not all, members of the Philadelphia Eagles had planned to partake in the traditional White House ceremony for champions with President Donald Trump. In a strange, stunning move, Trump has decided to disinvite the team less than 24 hours before.
Donald Trump issues a statement saying neither the #Eagles, nor team representatives, are welcome at the White House tomorrow for their Super Bowl visit. Unreal. pic.twitter.com/PXEoZ43XY0
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 4, 2018
Trump may assume that several Eagles who were not planning to attend including Malcolm Jenkins, Chris Long and Torrey Smith did so in response to protest the President’s role in the anthem issue. Last September Trump told a crowd in Alabama, “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when someone disrespects our flag to say, ‘get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out. He’s fired. He’s fired.”
But for some Eagles, a general dissatisfaction with Trump and his values was the culprit.
Said Jenkins, “There is so much that has been swirling around that administration, I don’t see it as beneficial at this moment in time to visit in a celebratory fashion.”
Running back LeGarrette Blount, now a member of the Lions declined the invite when he won with the Patriots in 2016, “I just don’t feel welcome into that house. I’m just gonna leave it at that.”
This stunning news comes on the heels of a newly approved NFL anthem policy which requires players on the field to stand for the anthem or face being fined. Several reports have suggested the key rationale for the new policy was to appease Trump. He is clearly not appeased.
