Drew Brees responds to President Trump on national anthem protests: 'If not now, then when?'
NEW ORLEANS- Drew Brees' apology for his 'insensitive' comment on national anthem protests sparked disappointment in President Donald Trump Friday afternoon.
Brees has issued two public apologies following his interview with Yahoo! on June 3. In the interview, the Saints quarterback was asked about the controversial sign of protest returning in the upcoming football season in the wake of George Floyd's death at the hands of Minneapolis police officers.
In the interview, Brees said, "I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country," Brees said on Wednesday. "When I look at the flag of the United States, I envision my two grandfathers who fought for this country during World War II, one in the army and one in the Marine Corps, both risking their lives to protect our country."
The comment sparked immediate backlash on social media from his teammates, fans, and even the President of the United States had something to say.
President Trump tweeted about Drew Friday afternoon, but it was not the comment about national anthem protests that Trump did not like, it was the apology following the comment.
I am a big fan of Drew Brees. I think he’s truly one of the greatest quarterbacks, but he should not have taken back his original stance on honoring our magnificent American Flag. OLD GLORY is to be revered, cherished, and flown high...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 5, 2020
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"He should not have taken back his original stance on honoring our magnificent American Flag," Trump wrote.
Brees responded to President Trump's tweet with a lengthy post, starting with, "To @realdonaldtrump."
To @realdonaldtrump
— Drew Brees (@drewbrees) June 6, 2020
Through my ongoing conversations with friends, teammates, and leaders in the black community, I realize this is not an issue about the American flag. It has never been. We can no longer use the… https://t.co/zcw1NMZF2W
"We can no longer use the flag to turn people away or distract them from the real issues that face our black communities," Brees said. "We did this back in 2017, and regretfully I brought it back with my comments this week. We must stop talking about the flag and shift our attention to the real issues of systemic racial injustice, economic oppression, police brutality, and judicial & prison reform."
Brees continued, stating, "We are at a critical juncture in our nation’s history! If not now, then when?"