NFL players are lashing out at President Donald Trump after he yanked a White House celebration for the Philadelphia Eagles, calling it a “cowardly act” and even asking why Trump hasn’t been impeached yet.

Trump reignited the culture war late Monday when he abruptly canceled the event for the reigning Super Bowl champions after it became clear that a majority of players would boycott the celebration.


The president has riled up his base by frequently criticizing NFL players who have kneeled during the national anthem to protest racism, and the NFL announced last month that players must stand during the anthem, or stay in the locker room.

In an unusual statement, Trump disinvited the Eagles — even though the team's players did not kneel during the anthem last season — and said he would hold a different event to “pay tribute to the heroes who fight to protect it, and loudly and proudly play the National Anthem.”

The move didn’t sit well with a number of players.

“It’s a cowardly act to cancel the celebration because the majority of the people don’t want to see you. To make it about the anthem is foolish,” tweeted Carolina Panthers wide receiver Torrey Smith — who played for the Eagles last season — late Monday in response to the president’s decision.

“Why is this impeachment taking so Damn Long,” Washington Redskins cornerback Josh Norman tweeted late Monday night.


Former Eagles wide receiver Terrell Owens also weighed in on Tuesday, mocking Trump for disinviting players who were already planning to skip the event.

"I'm sure it wasn't him uninviting the Eagles. I'm sure they didn't want to go," Owens, who appeared on "The Celebrity Apprentice," told TMZ. "How does he uninvite people that didn't want to go? Come on Donald, let's keep it real."

And Malcolm Jenkins, a safety for the Eagles, posted a long statement to Twitter on Tuesday championing the work he and his teammates have done in their communities around complex and controversial social and racial issues.


He also called out Trump.

"We are athletes, but as citizens, we are doing everything in our power to make our communities better. This is the hard, but, right thing to do," Jenkins wrote, noting that no Eagles players knelt during the anthem last season. "The decision was made to lie, and paint the picture that these players are anti-America, anti-flag and anti-military."

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On Tuesday, the NFL Players Association issued a statement expressing disappointment in Trump’s decision and saying it is having a harmful ripple effect.

“Our union is disappointed in the decision by the White House to disinvite players from the Philadelphia Eagles from being recognized and celebrated by all Americans for their accomplishment,” the statement read. “This decision by the White House has led to the cancellation of several player-led community service events for young people in the Washington, DC area.”

Some Republican lawmakers spoke out in support of the Eagles, with Pennsylvania Rep. Ryan Costello also saying he was disappointed by Trump's move.

"Eagles my fave team. Super Bowl win so meaningful as Philly sports fan. POTUS handled poorly," Costello tweeted. "This is a depressing commentary on our political culture, very deflating to me. Was really excited for today. As a fan who bleeds green. Not going to WH. Disappointed in all of this."

Trump on Tuesday morning again ripped into the players, seemingly happy to play up a narrative that has played well with his supporters.

For months Trump has repeatedly attacked players who kneeled during the anthem and encouraged fans to boycott the league unless there was a change in policy, which happened last month. Vice President Mike Pence went so far as to attend an Indianapolis Colts game last year only to walk out after some players kneeled during the anthem.


“We will proudly be playing the National Anthem and other wonderful music celebrating our Country today at 3 P.M., The White House, with the United States Marine Band and the United States Army Chorus. Honoring America! NFL, no escaping to Locker Rooms!” Trump tweeted Tuesday morning.

He went on to note the other sports teams who have participated in White House celebrations during his presidency.

"We have had many Championship teams recently at the White House including the Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, Pittsburgh Penguins, New England Patriots, Alabama and Clemson National Champions, and many others. National Anthem & more great music today at 3:00 P.M." Trump wrote.

The White House also tried to push their side of the story in a statement from press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. She said the White House had sensed "a lack of good faith" from the Eagles when the team tried to reschedule the event for dates when Trump would be out of the country.

"Unfortunately, the Eagles offered to send only a tiny handful of representatives, while making clear that the great majority of players would not attend the event, despite planning to be in D.C. today," Sanders said. "In other words, the vast majority of the Eagles team decided to abandon their fans."

During the White House press briefing, Sanders called the decision by a number of Eagles players to skip the event "a political stunt."

She added that Trump has been "completely consistent" in his approach to the event. "The Eagles are the ones that changed their commitment at the last minute," Sanders said.

Shortly after the briefing, Trump spoke at the newly reconfigured celebration "honoring America." In his opening remarks, he did not mention the Eagles directly nor the criticism surrounding his decision to disinvite them. Instead he touted the country's "record numbers at every outpost" and ended by saying the event "was even bigger than we had anticipated."


The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on Monday that fewer than 10 players had planned to attend the event, and on Tuesday, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney expressed his pride in the Eagles team members.

Kenney, calling into CNN, also knocked Trump, saying that disinviting the team is "not what the presidency is all about."

"I think it's really disingenuous for [Trump] to talk about patriotism in any way, shape or form," Kenney said, going on to criticize Trump for avoiding service in the Vietnam War. "When he had the opportunity to serve his country for real, his father got him out of it."

Some players also reacted sharply to Fox News coverage of the controversy, particularly a segment that showed images of several Eagles players appearing to kneel for the anthem when they were actually kneeling in prayer.

“Praying before games with my teammates, well before the anthem, is being used for your propaganda?!” Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz tweeted in response.

Eagles defensive lineman Chris Long, who donated his entire salary last season to charity, lashed out at Fox News as well. Fox News has apologized for the error, but Long said he doubted the use of the images was a mistake.

"Fox News used the faith of Christian men dishonestly to push an agenda. That wasn't an 'error,' but intentional and strategic," he wrote on Twitter. "They've deleted the segment + apologized on twitter, but many viewers don't have twitter. An on air apology to all Christians would be the classy move."

NFL players are not the only professional athletes to criticize the Trump administration.


Addressing reporters ahead of Wednesday night's game three of the NBA finals, Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James, who once called the president a "bum," was sharply critical of Trump's decision to disinvite the Eagles from their championship celebration. He predicted that whether his Cavaliers or the Golden State Warriors win this year's NBA finals, neither team will visit the White House for the traditional ceremony.

Warriors star Stephen Curry said he agreed with James and that his team would likely not go to the White House if it wins the title this season. Trump disinvited the Warriors from the White House last season, although the team was unlikely to attend anyways.

James also called the lack of an invitation from the Trump administration to the WNBA champion Minnesota Lynx "laughable."

"That's typical of him," James said. "I know no matter who wins this series, no one wants to go anyway," he said.

"Let's not let someone uninviting you from their house take away from their championship," James continued. "Winning a championship is way bigger than getting invited to the White House, especially with him in it."

