Transcript for White House responds to canceled Eagles visit

You're watching ABC news live this is the briefing room coming through the Washington bureau ABC news on jobs and Kiki alongside Katherine welders. On a very busy Tuesday morning as all eyes are on the Philadelphia Eagles they work. Originally invited to go to the White House stated celebrate their first Super Bowl win. And president this morning on Twitter and all over the media's been seeing it play out today. Dis inviting them instead. Keeping an event for 3 o'clock in the Rose Garden now it's a celebration of America event and the Eagles. Catherine they're not going to be there this is a real talker today real talker they're not going to be there are a lot of lawmakers are are saying this is a political stunned by the president by making it. About the National Anthem while in fact ask their senators told our John Carl actually the Eagles are making this. A political stunt by going back and forth by saying originally there are going to be 81 people I now they came back with a smaller delegation and and that it wasn't good enough so both signed here really the calling it a political somebody think what's worth pointing out in what John. Karl noted in the briefing to Sarah is. In the 2017 season no Eagles players took Andy. In response to the National Anthem so him making this about that isn't really. Let's bring in someone knows a little more about the Eagles and both of us combined united ESPN's Jason reed senior NFL writer for the undefeated chasing you the Martinez. All day play out with us as well I mean just walk us through hear him for folks they're just coming into a you know they obviously see the president's tweed. That he disinvited the Eagles some of the players were still willing to attend what worded sort of shake out here at the. What will be initial exploration given by the White House as the reason this event was canceled completely rooms. There Eagles did not Neil during this past season not one member of the team took a knee so. The to put forth this reasoning that well because the players won't stand the president at one to be there it is again it's simply a rooms. Many players did not want to attend the White House today because of the president's divisive rhetoric because of the president's policies. And those from what source the rebel leader telling myself my colleagues is that. The Eagles just determine OK well we're not gonna go to the White House. Will go to Washington DC NB involving community events maybe visits and schools and do things around the event. But not actually attend the event. And from what we're hearing from sources throughout the lead the White House the terminated what about the optics of having maybe a traveling party. Fewer than ten people possibly a few with five people there go any other at any other explanation is simply. So Jason don't move stay with us I want to bring in our senior White House correspondent Cecilia Vega and Cecily you really got into the heart on at what that dynamic is in back and forth between not just the Eagles but the overall and a Fallon president trump I wanna play that exchange. For our audience javits. This president cares zero responsibility of the cancellation. This president all the NFL players suvs. Who implied that some players who don't stand and do not belong in this country this heat near zero responsibility for players like the word from the cast on one company of failing permanent president has. His position hasn't changed on this throughout the process. And the president's position. Was very clearly stated in a number of forums and venues. And the Eagles made the commitment to comment to be part of that event. Well after the president had established his feelings. In regards to the National Anthem and it. I once again they made that change at the last minute not the president he's the one it has been completely consistent in his viewpoint. When it comes in that's. Completely consistent to Syria dial things so what about you. Well you know. He had been insistent. On. A line on what I most people would have been some pretty. Offensive words towards players experience and LT eight we're looking at a live shot of the president right now outside. On the South Lawn of the White House where we expect to hear more this let me know if you eat need to stop talking to take his audience that is and our let me. Look this is a political argument for this White House that they are clearly willing to engage it because they're going to win. Polls show that most Americans feel that players should stay under the National Anthem they're willing to go to since it to the pats on this one and you heard cirrus and repeatedly not backing backing away calling as a political and that the Eagles players. Bailed on this one that this had nothing to do with president trop but Jason's that it before you guys came to meet the players did not want to attend because the president's words. And I think it's good for the White House to argue that president trump is not to blame for much of the that he did climate that is happening. On this this this very discussion in this country right now. And Sicily I know we're watching it playing out the moment but. This celebration of America event I mean what is your understanding of what what the point here is because we don't know much about a program we don't know speakers at the moment all we see is president from and several American flags behind him but. Nominee and that he tells me large. Now in fact we've been pushing for details called it but we really don't have very many offer I mean I think we're seeing it play out in real time the president. This was supposed to be celebration for the Eagles this is now being called a celebration of America meet up that name except a little bit there but. Essentially we'll hear the National Anthem here's a patriotic songs and this is the White House. Showing the stars and stripes if you will and celebrating that as they continue to say that this is about the National Anthem I've got to say you know for many of these players. This is not about patriotism is not about the National Anthem this is about. Police brutality and treatment of African American men and particularly in this country of people of color in this country and the police officers. But as you saw the very and at this White House briefing it became very very heated. With your Sanders has pushed on this topic this is not an issue they want to engage in necessarily they're sticking to that argument that this is about patriotism this is about the National Anthem because really. That is the winning political argument for them. Right and we sort out hot and exchange he had an April Ryan Cecilia I know you gotta go monitor this event were actually. Gonna take 12 yourselves and listens the president who's speaking now. Many of them are looking down right now some of them are right here. But many of them a looking down right now and our country and they are proud. Very very program. So we stand together for freedom. We stand together for patriotism. And we proudly stand. For Howard glorious. Nation. Under god I want to thank you all for being in this is a beautiful big celebration. Actually to be honest it's even bigger. That we had anticipated. So I want to thank you very much and god bless America thank you everybody thank. President there just. What residents there just wrapping up his remarks. Sounds like they're now going to be seen god bless America Jason re bringing you back in here. What are the Eagles players doing today some elements of there's still little to come down to Washington. Com for other events around the community. Well actually today it's just going to be a regular workday now once the White House canceled the trip. Eagles management ownership determined that OK the best thing to do is just have the players have a normal work day they worker paid to seventeen. To Washington DC. Now there were some community events plan that would in a business school what players are planning to do was later in the summer rescheduled debts. And Neil right now obviously this is not football season but coming into the fall we are gonna see the mid term elections. Are gonna go back in the football season. What do you think the dynamics going to be for the NFL. What are you hearing from your sources around well let me be actual NFL offices and owners are being very quiet today. Because they know they're boxed him the president has the box did. Essentially. The president is truly beautiful it was like a pinata. And the problem for it opposes big game president trump the stick they changed if the policy. Trying Q. In large department president for a happy and operas and trump is going and move the ball he's. What he's saying is is that OK it's not just good enough now just just stand on the sideline. Or it took to stay in the Lok group. You have to be all on the sidelines at a tension in and totally into the national at them. So he's going into the locker room saying players who stand in the lock room no that's not good enough. Soviet cells that are really difficult position now because it's clear that the presidencies with the winning issues and he's gonna continue to whack NFL owners. For quite some time. And be a tough road ahead for all and Jason Reid ESPN the undefeated thank you as always sir we appreciate it. Let's switch gears all moving on right now on the presence and is still ongoing we'll monitor that for any news but the presence at tweet storm Catherine over the last a couple days here mean John Roberts of fox and as the best line. And that his favorite pinata as Jeff Sessions he's been the target from tweets for quite a. He has and you mentioned the tweets he had thirteen weeks before 10:15 am North Korea. The Brosseau witch hunt has become the National Anthem but then exactly as as John Roberts put it in his favorite and not that was Jeff Sessions again and he's we now we've known this for some time. But he's critical of Jeff Sessions saying he wished he never recused himself on a Russian investigation and he's gone even further on in that over the past week saying he wouldn't even have picked stem cell. A lot of questions about what Jeff Sessions this thing going on behind the scenes but there's and is said you know he's made a point clear on. Yeah Jeff Sessions who stayed pretty quiet hum I wanna switch gears Paul manna for news we learned over night. On the former trump campaign chairman possibly facing his bail being revoked according to a filing. That was put in late last lightly DC federal court. Mr. manna for allegedly according to the special counsel made contact with witness is hoping to Alter their testimony in the two cases he is going on he's facing charges both in DC federal court and in the eastern district of Virginia those charges range from money laundering fraud none of which have to do. At the moment which. With his time during Donald trumps our campaign. But nevertheless feel the topic the president is watching Catherine. If he's bill has revoked he would sit in jail until one of these trials begin the earliest one in June another one couldn't be until the fall. Exactly the earliest engine and I think this is filing was extremely significant because not only you know Muller seeking to broke his bail but witness tampering. And that Mueller says happened while he was under house or so. I'm pretty significant it says that man implant for contacted two individuals who worked with him on a logging scheme to aim his Kremlin backed Ukrainian clients so. A significant filing it but you're right about the jail time you have the one in June and then. Want to live in July and then one that some one that's TV and I think I'm not significant part of this is. We talk about the tweets from the president tweeted twice about and a four over the weekend wiley decade separating what's apple south more. But you go into the timing right one day before this news came down. Again now Moxley we'll keep an eye on that that hearing by the ways in June 15 we'll follow it here eighty see something else we're following. Big primary night tonight and that's three go to our deputy political director Mary Alice park she is. Out in great state of California Mary Alice I am jealous of you in the sunshine by view. But the voters going to be coming out to the polls today what she weeks spektr's eight states heading to the polls right. Right eight states voting today and is a fact for you what is eight Americans lives here in the state of California. So what happens in California and not only impacts the rest the country. But really wrap presents it in a lot of ways. A lot of the attention and conversation tonight will be focused on congressional house racing is a number of competitive seats that. That could determine the the control of the house in the fall. Are up out of world tonight in a lot of ways voters here will decide who's going to be on the ballot in those competitive races. In November and Democrats have spent a lot of money on seven races in particular seven seats where Republicans control. That the seat in congress but we're Hillary Clinton won in 2016. They see a real opening in places like this in Orange County Ryan tonight. And Mary Alice just emphasize this is up primary election this is not the general we have till the fall but in some cases here we've seen in a pretty small congressional races over a million dollars spent in some cases. Right at high and of money effort do you resent. Why because like I said Democrats are really see opportunities in some of these house races X especially outside Los Angeles for they like. To pick up some see it they'd like to be well on their way to flipping control of the house. But also because California's physics that say you have an Alley media market the severed Cisco media market so to play here it takes. A lot of cash and that's why Democrats house in sun plays says. Weight behind some independently wealthy candidates and it actually received a lot of the low back from that. People say that it shouldn't just be rich guys that are running for office. But it rich guys can right there on tax and bring their campaigns along it can help Democrats and spend money elsewhere a lot of back and it intra party fighting playing out a line. Served in higher coast here in California today. Well and for your parking at playing California you get to stay up late tonight we're gonna happen late night coverage across ABC news beginning at 10 o'clock eastern. It got their happiness we will be upper leverage EMI you catch that are cross abcnews.com. Our social platforms are right here at ABC news alive Mary Alice Stewart the teen gridlock during some coffee. And have to plotted out. We're jealous kinda. Thanks so much for joining us here in the briefing or prepare for bowlers on John San Tucci you're watching ABC news live. Have a great tech.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.