During the 2017 NFL season, President Trump declared war on (mostly) African American players who respectfully kneeled for the national anthem to call attention to racial injustice. He also staged a political stunt where Vice President Mike Pence walked out of a game after seeing players kneel during the song.
On Monday, Jan. 9, the president doubled down on his war against national anthem protestors in a speech to the nation’s farmers in Nashville, Tennessee. “There’s plenty of space for people to express their views and to protest, but we love our flag and we love our anthem and we want to keep it that way,” he said.
Later that night, Trump appeared on the field for the anthem during the College Football Playoff National Championship game in Atlanta. As he walked onto the field, he was greeted by either a chorus of cheers or boos (depending on which side of the aisle you’re on).
Trump walked out to massive boos at the #NationalChampionship Bless that crowd! pic.twitter.com/NWTwS5wziN— Remove Trump Now (@KaniJJackson) January 9, 2018
Lots of cheers for President Trump as he arrives to #NationalChampionship game!
Very few boos.
Some chants of “USA,USA!” pic.twitter.com/q5qww2NBoX
— The Columbia Bugle (@ColumbiaBugle) January 9, 2018
When the anthem began, Trump put his hand over his heart and mumbled the lyrics, like most Americans do when they hear the national anthem of, say, Canada.
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Country artist Zac Brown sang a tasteful rendition, foregoing the artistic liberties sometimes taken with the tune. But for someone who’s been so enthusiastic about his love for “The Star-Spangled Banner,” Trump looked lost for more than half of the song, which shouldn’t have been too hard to mouth.
Although Trump made his bones in reality TV, no one says he should be great at lip-syncing — but there are moments in the song where he is clearly mouthing the wrong words.
Twitter was quick to jump on the irony of a president who berated people for kneeling during the national anthem but hasn’t even bothered to learn the words himself.
Trump sings the National Anthem the way everyone sings Bone Thugs n Harmony songs.— Matt Fernandez (@FattMernandez) January 9, 2018
I bet you all of the immigrants who Trump doesn’t consider to be real Americans know the lyrics to the National Anthem.— OhNoSheTwitnt (@OhNoSheTwitnt) January 9, 2018
So did the network stop showing Trump on camera during the National Anthem because it was pretty obvious he was mouthing complete bullshit? #NationalChampionship— Pé Resists (@4everNeverTrump) January 9, 2018
God can you imagine the nuclear meltdown on Fox News if Obama was shown not knowing the words to the national anthem? And the real gag is is that Trump made the national anthem his shtick with his incessant racist anti-protest tweets. And it’s still not even a story!— Calvin (@calvinstowell) January 9, 2018
Dear Donald Trump, this is what it looks like when a REAL President (@BarackObama) sings the National Anthem.
You may not like it when players kneel for the Anthem. I don’t like it when a President butchers the National Anthem!#TuesdayThoughts pic.twitter.com/XVxpAazwyH
— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) January 9, 2018
