The Dallas Cowboys take a knee prior to the national anthem prior to an NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals on Monday in Glendale, Ariz. | Matt York/AP Trump: NFL must make rule requiring players to stand during national anthem

The NFL must institute a rule requiring players to stand for the national anthem, President Donald Trump wrote online Tuesday morning, pitching it as the only way to sooth a fan base he said has been angered by players kneeling in protest during the song.

"The NFL has all sorts of rules and regulations. The only way out for them is to set a rule that you can't kneel during our National Anthem!" Trump wrote on Twitter Tuesday morning. That post followed a flurry of other earlier in the morning in which the president said that the booing prompted by the Dallas Cowboys’ decision to kneel Monday night before the national anthem was the “loudest I have ever heard,” blaming the protesting trend for declining NFL ratings.


“Ratings for NFL football are way down except before game starts, when people tune in to see whether or not our country will be disrespected!” the president wrote on Twitter. “The booing at the NFL football game last night, when the entire Dallas team dropped to its knees, was loudest I have ever heard. Great anger. But while Dallas dropped to it knees as a team, they ALL stood up for our National Anthem. Big progress being made - we love our country!”

Joined by their coaches and outspoken owner, Jerry Jones, the Cowboys took a knee Monday night before the national anthem was played, triggering boos from some in the crowd. The team stood up though, interlocking arms as the national anthem was played.

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The Arizona Cardinals, Dallas’ Monday night opponent, stood with their arms interlocked and did not kneel for the anthem.

It is the fifth consecutive day that Trump has attacked football players who kneel during the national anthem and the NFL for allowing it. Such acts of disrespect towards the American flag and national anthem should not be allowed, Trump has said, although his criticism has seemed only to trigger more protests and to unify the league on an issue that had previously divided it.