Portrait of Donald Trump
Politician · organisation
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Donald Trump on NFL

Antagonistic Rivalry (strong)

Donald Trump has a long-standing, complex, and often adversarial relationship with the National Football League (NFL), rooted in his past ownership of a rival league and his subsequent political clashes with players and the league itself. His involvement has historically centered on business competition and, more recently, highly publicized political criticism regarding player protests during the national anthem.

Historically, Trump was owner of the New Jersey Generals in the rival United States Football League (USFL) during the 1980s, using the team to challenge the NFL's dominance, including leading a lawsuit aimed at forcing a merger.

During his first presidency, Donald Trump called for a boycott of the NFL and publicly demanded that owners fire players who kneeled during the national anthem to protest racial injustice and police brutality.

Context

Donald Trump's relationship with the NFL has been described by observers as "The Pigskin War" and a "continued feud," indicating a long history of contention with the league. His interest in professional football extends back to attempts to purchase NFL franchises, though he was never successful in those bids.

His tenure as owner of the USFL's New Jersey Generals ultimately contributed to the dissolution of that league after it unsuccessfully sued the NFL to force a merger.

Actions Taken

  1. Team Acquisition
    Purchased the New Jersey Generals of the USFL, a rival league to the NFL.
  2. Legal Action
    Led the USFL in a lawsuit against the NFL, accusing the established league of anti-competitive behavior, which led to a jury ruling against the NFL.
  3. Political Call To Action
    Called for fans to boycott the NFL until the league addressed player protests during the national anthem.
  4. Public Statement
    Publicly stated that NFL owners should fire players who did not stand for the national anthem.
  5. Public Appearance
    Attended several high-profile college football games, where he was often received well by attendees.

Key Quotes

"Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, 'Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out! He's fired. He's fired!'"

Campaign rally in Huntsville, Alabama September 22, 2017 — Stating his demand regarding players who protest the national anthem.

"If a player wants the privilege of making millions of dollars in the NFL or other leagues, he or she should not be allowed to disrespect our Great American Flag (or Country) and should stand for the National Anthem. If not, YOU'RE FIRED. Find something else to do!"

Twitter post September 23, 2017 — Reiterating his stance on anthem protests on social media.

Related Positions

  • National Anthem Protests/Kneeling This concept was the direct catalyst for Trump's most vocal public criticism of the NFL during his first term.
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives During his second term, Trump opposed federal DEI initiatives, which creates a contrast with the NFL's social responsibility messaging, such as 'Choose Love'.

Criticism

Roger Goodell

The NFL Commissioner issued a statement critical of Trump's comments following the anthem protest remarks.

Robert Kraft

The New England Patriots owner stated that Trump uses the issue as 'fodder to do his mission that I don't feel is in the best interests of America. It's divisive and it's horrible.'