OK, I have no clue if it was actually Trump who stepped in here, but it sounds like the Trump administration had something to do with it. SO here’s what happened:

The network that airs the football games for the troops shut down because of the shenanigans in Congress.

I received this from a young infantryman serving in Afghanistan this morning. Sad that the men and women who have sacrificed so much are deprived of even the most basic connection to home bc Democrats are playing political games. #SchumerShutdown pic.twitter.com/jcUqU2crF1 — Kayleigh McEnany (@PressSec) January 20, 2018

Minnesota @Vikings and @NFL - What are you going to do to ensure #Vikings and #Eagles fans can see the game? Overseas military families lose AFN https://t.co/fo1Thp1hvV #SchumerShutdown — Sen. Kevin Cramer (@SenKevinCramer) January 20, 2018

Thank you for being willing but we were just informed AFN has been restored! https://t.co/PI2f8L5UMh — Kayleigh McEnany (@PressSec) January 21, 2018

Update: @DeptofDefense has informed us that AFN has been restored in most places. Glad our brave men and women can watch the game today. https://t.co/d424r1mBu2 — Kayleigh McEnany (@PressSec) January 21, 2018

It’s unclear whether they did anything to actually change this, or if it happened on its own.

Great news as Armed Forces Network will air both Championship Sunday NFL games today for our service members around the world — Brian McCarthy (@NFLprguy) January 21, 2018







Not sure this is reporting, or opinion to slam Trump:

The White House scrambled to find a way to make sure troops could watch today's NFL conference championship games because the Armed Forces Network stops during the shutdown. This, after months of ripping NFL players for disrespecting the troops by protesting during the anthem. — Kyle Feldscher (@Kyle_Feldscher) January 21, 2018

They LITERALLY SAID THE NFL WAS ESSENTIAL SERVICES LOL:

Isn't just NFL games back on American Forces Network. I was just informed in statement from @ChiefPentSpox that AFN writ large was determined to be essential. Includes news programming, too.



Worth noting this emerged after @PressSec started tweeting on it as a political issue. pic.twitter.com/jxslzQ8vod — Dan Lamothe (@DanLamothe) January 21, 2018

And just like that, service was restored to service-members overseas:

It gives me great pleasure to announce that we've been given limited services and have brought back two channels -- AFN News and AFN Sports. I thank you for your patience. - Col Dave Honchul, Director, AFN — AFN (@AFNlistens) January 21, 2018

BOOM! Enjoy the games, everyone!!!