Former NFL player Jim Brown blasted those who decide to kneel instead of stand for the national anthem at a Thursday afternoon press conference outside the White House.
“First of all, I’m an American. That flag is my flag,” Brown told the reporters crowded outside the White House. “I don’t think that we should take knees in protest instead of be standing up for our flag.”
The NFL legend, along with rapper Kanye West, met with President Trump inside the White House Thursday to discuss issues of importance to the black community.
“I gave him my opinion of the overall community of this country,” Brown said. “I expressed my desire to bring a plan, along with his plan, on how to help people. People need jobs, people need education, people need to be attended to, so that’s what I’m talking about.”
Brown had publicly endorsed Trump’s 2020 re-election in August, admitting that left-wing black activists would criticize him over his endorsement. The NFL great also met with West shortly after giving Trump his endorsement.
Brown has also spoken out against the national anthem protests in the NFL before, saying he would “never kneel” during our national anthem and would “always respect the flag.”