Trump Takes Issue With US Soccer's Rapinoe

Says her protest during national anthem is inappropriate
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 25, 2019 8:03 AM CDT

President Trump may "love watching women's soccer," but he's no fan of Megan Rapinoe's silent stance during the national anthem. Asked whether it was appropriate for the co-captain of the US women's soccer team to take that moment to protest inequality and injustice—standing silently with her arms at her sides, rather than singing with her hand over her heart—Trump tells the Hill, "No, I don't think so." It's unlikely his disapproval carries much weight with Rapinoe, who carried her team to the World Cup quarterfinals on Monday. Last month, the 33-year-old told Yahoo Sports the president is "sexist," "racist," "misogynistic," and "not a good person."

Her first such protest, inspired by Colin Kaepernick, came when she kneeled during the "Star-Spangled Banner" as a member of the Seattle Reign in September 2016, reports the Washington Post. "Being a gay American, I know what it means to look at the flag and not have it protect all of your liberties," she said at the time, per Yahoo. US Soccer soon after required its players to "stand respectfully during the playing of the national anthems at any event in which the Federation is represented"—a rule Rapinoe continues to follow. But "I'll probably never put my hand over my heart," she told Yahoo Sports. "I'll probably never sing the national anthem again." (More Megan Rapinoe stories.)

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