Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump says San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick should 'find a country that works better for him' if he wants to sit out the 'Star Spangled Banner' before football games.

Trump, who has issued nearly unequivocal defenses of law enforcement during his presidential campaign, said he has been personally following the Kaepernick controversy, which he termed 'not a good thing.'

'I have followed it and I think it's personally not a good thing, I think it's a terrible thing,' Trump told KIRO radio's Dori Monson in advance of a visit to Washington State.

'And maybe he should find a country that works better for him, let him try. It won't happen,' Trump said.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump says if San Francisco 49ers quartercak Colin Kaepernick can't stand for the 'Star Spangled Banner' he should 'find a country that works better for him'

Kaepernick, who is half black, has been sitting on the bench during the Star-Spangled Banner at pre-season games to 'bring awareness' to the country's civil rights issues.

He explained his posture as standing with the 'oppressed,' and said he'll change his position when the country is acting as 'it's supposed to.'

'I'll continue to stand with the people who are being oppressed. To me, this is something that has to change. When there's significant change, and I feel like that flag represents what it's supposed to represent, and this country is representing people the way it's supposed to, I'll stand.'

Trump's sentiment about Kapernick moving was shared by a 49ers fan who lit a Kapernick jersey on fire for a video posted on Instagram. 'People die every single day defending that flag you refuse to stand for and I won’t stand for that,' said the fan. 'This jersey was the worst $50 investment I have ever had … you should never play in the NFL again, move to Canada.'

San Francisco 49ers quarterbacks Colin Kaepernick (center) refused to stand for the national anthem ahead of a game against the Green Back Packers on Friday

Kaepernick (pictured during the game) said the move is designed to protest the 'oppression' of African Americans and people of color in the US

Furious 49ers fans have started burning Colin Kaepernick jerseys after he refused to stand for the national anthem in a preseason game against the Green Bay Packers

Football fans unleashed a torrent of vitriol against Kaepernick for his stunt, accusing him of being ignorant, spoiled and childish

Others tweeted this powerful image of a wounded veteran holding himself upright in his wheelchair for the anthem despite having no legs