49ers' Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid kneel during the national anthem before their game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on Sept. 18, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (CBSNewYork/AP) — Colin Kaepernick fired back at Donald Trump after the Republican presidential nominee insinuated last month that the San Francisco 49ers quarterback should leave the United States if he won’t stand for the national anthem.

“That’s a very ignorant statement that if you don’t agree with what’s going on here and that if you want justice and liberty and freedom for all that you should leave the country,” Kaepernick told reporters Tuesday. “He always says ‘Make America Great Again.’ Well, America has never been great for people of color and that’s something that needs to be addressed. Let’s make America great for the first time.”

Colin Kaepernick thoughts on presidential debate: "To me it was embarrassing to watch that these are our two candidates" pic.twitter.com/wpsw18pw6v — Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) September 27, 2016

Kaepernick also had a harsh assessment of Trump and Hillary Clinton after their performances during Monday night’s presidential debate.

“To me, it was embarrassing to watch that these are our two candidates. Both are proven liars and it almost seems like they’re trying to debate who’s less racist,” Kaepernick said. “At this point, talking with one of my friends, it was you have to pick the lesser of two evils, but in the end it’s still evil.”

In an interview with “The Dori Monson Show” last month, Trump suggested Kaepernick should find a new country to live in.

“Well, I have followed it and I think it’s personally not a good thing. I think it’s a terrible thing. Maybe he should find a country that works better for him. Let him try, it won’t happen,” Trump said.

Kaepernick has refused to stand for the national anthem this season as he protests racial inequality and police brutality in the country. Several other NFL players have joined him in his protest.

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