But Trump wrote Tuesday that the fact that the Dallas team then stood up for the national anthem represented “big progress being made.”

The president also claimed that ratings for the NFL were “way down except before game starts, when people tune in to see whether or not our country will be disrespected!” But traditional rating metrics have shifted in recent years as more viewership migrates to mobile devices and streaming services.

Later Tuesday morning, Trump tweeted that “the only way out” for the NFL is to institute a rule barring players from kneeling during the national anthem.

Trump’s latest volley came hours after Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones joined his team’s players in kneeling before the national anthem at Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., where the Cowboys were taking on the host Cardinals.

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Some in the crowd booed at the display, which Jones later said was “a statement about unity and … a statement about equality.” Arizona players also stood and linked arms during the anthem, but they did not take a knee beforehand.

Players and across the league responded Sunday to Trump by kneeling during the anthem, locking arms and staying in the locker room in a few cases.

During a political rally Friday night in Alabama, Trump said players who kneel during the national anthem should be fired and used a profane term to describe them. He has also urged fans to boycott games if the protests continue.