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Trump Gets Brutally Mocked for Uninviting Eagles – and Many Are Refusing to Let Him Set the Narrative This Time
President Donald Trump has uninvited the Philadelphia Eagles from a planned White House celebration slated for Tuesday after learning that several of the winning Super Bowl champions would – he says – not be able to come “to be celebrated” because they “disagree with their President because he insists that they proudly stand for the National Anthem.”
In reality, a large number are refusing to show up, not because of the national Anthem, but because of the president himself.
Instead, Trump will still hold and attend the ceremony, he says, with the invited fans, but will turn the event into a disturbingly nationalistic and militaristic celebration.
“The Philadelphia Eagles are unable to come to the White House with their full team to be celebrated tomorrow. They disagree with their President because he insists that they proudly stand for the National Anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country,” Trump said in his statement.
“The Eagles wanted to send a smaller delegation, but the 1,000 fans planning to attend the event deserve better. These fans are still invited to the White House to be part of a different type of ceremony—one that will honor our great country, pay tribute to the heroes who fight to protect it, and loudly and proudly play the National Anthem,” the president added. “I will be there at 3:00 p.m. with the United States Marine Band and the United States Army Chorus to celebrate America.”
Trump, as many noted, is playing with fire.
Some on social media immediately noted that Pennsylvania is a swing state, so uninviting the Super Bowl champions after their historic win is not only rude and disrespectful, it’s just bad politics.
U.S. Senator Bob Casey, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, called Trump’s action a “political stunt,” and one-upped him:
I’m proud of what the @Eagles accomplished this year. I’m skipping this political stunt at the White House and just invited the Eagles to Congress. @Eagles How about a tour of the Capitol? https://t.co/niWR7zkSYx
— Senator Bob Casey (@SenBobCasey) June 4, 2018
NFL wide receiver Torrey Smith, who played for the Eagles when the won the Super Bowl, told The Nation’s Dave Zirin why he wouldn’t go:
Philadelphia Eagles wise receiver Torrey Smith said in February that most of his teammates wouldn’t go to the White House. Here was his reason. Sounds about right. pic.twitter.com/12vyVBn1LB
— Dave Zirin (@EdgeofSports) June 5, 2018
He also poked holes in Trump’s claims:
So many lies smh
Here are some facts
1. Not many people were going to go
2. No one refused to go simply because Trump “insists” folks stand for the anthem
3. The President continues to spread the false narrative that players are anti military pic.twitter.com/89GUNhJ4eE— Torrey Smith (@TorreySmithWR) June 4, 2018
Many on social media, tired of Trump calling the shots and creating the narrative, are taking the opportunity to turn the tables on the Twittering president:
MSNBC’s Chris Hayes:
On the one hand, the president disinvited the Philadelphia Eagles from the WH, on the other hand he oversaw a hurricane response that left nearly 5,000 of our fellow citizens dead.
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) June 4, 2018
Democratic US Senator from Hawaii Brian Schatz:
The fact that the Eagles were disinvited to the White House shows us that Republican sabotage of healthcare is costing millions of people thousands of dollars every year.
— Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) June 4, 2018
American Progress VP Topher Spiro:
My view on the Eagles being disinvited from the White House is that health care repeal is on the ballot in November and 5,000 Americans died from a negligent response to Hurricane Maria. https://t.co/kCNCxfU5nC
— Topher Spiro (@TopherSpiro) June 4, 2018
Vox’s Matt Yglesias:
It is possible, as a member of the press, to not actively cooperate with the President in his effort to center American political debate on national anthem demagoguery.
— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) June 4, 2018
And many expressed anger, outrage, and some unique insight:
Not invited to the Trump White House:
NBA Champion Golden State Warriors
NFL Champion Philadelphia EaglesInvited to the Trump White House: pic.twitter.com/1rljkTkkX3
— Franklin Leonard (@franklinleonard) June 4, 2018
Trump canceling Eagles’ White House visit was probably always the plan by Trump. It’s cowardly and manipulative.
It also continues to show how dumb the owners were to kowtow to him.— mike freeman (@mikefreemanNFL) June 4, 2018
Good thing Pennsylvania isn’t a swing state. https://t.co/nr2ltaNqk1
— Mat Johnson (@mat_johnson) June 4, 2018
Trump’s use of NFL players as The Unpatriotic Other is just the dumbest version of the same GOP playbook I’ve seen my entire life – and the pandering to racial resentment isn’t exactly new, either
— Patrick Hruby (@patrick_hruby) June 4, 2018
The number of players who were gonna attend were extremely low. Trump didn’t want that embarrassment at 1600 Pennsylvania. https://t.co/CRgM8NMQEw
— Donté Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) June 4, 2018
remember when the owners changed the anthem policy to avoid statements like this? how’s that working out for them? https://t.co/dP25WPSfD7
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) June 4, 2018
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