(CNN) President Donald Trump ignited a war of words with the nation's African-American athletes this weekend, yet again putting himself squarely in the middle of a racially charged debate.

At a rally in Huntsville, Alabama, Trump called on National Football League owners to dismiss players who choose to kneel in protest during the national anthem and needled the Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry, one of the country's most popular athletes. Trump's comments elicited sharp rebukes from the NFL's commissioner and a number of well-known athletes, and a Major League Baseball player knelt during the national anthem for the first time.

Trump could have acknowledged the deep challenges African Americans face -- Colin Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, chose to take a knee during the anthem last season to spotlight police violence against African Americans. Or Trump could have avoided this issue entirely and focused his energy on his teetering health care bill or the Alabama Senate race.

Instead, the President blasted the athletes' actions and missed the meaning behind them.

"If a player wants the privilege of making millions of dollars in the NFL, or other leagues, he or she should not be allowed to disrespect our Great American Flag (or Country) and should stand for the National Anthem," Trump tweeted Saturday afternoon. "If not, YOU'RE FIRED. Find something else to do!"

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