Trump: Kaepernick 'Should Find A Country That Works Better For Him'
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump hinted San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick should leave the United States if he won't stand for the national anthem.
Kaepernick ignited a national controversy after refusing to stand for "The Star-Spangled Banner" on Friday before the 49ers preseason game against the Green Bay Packers.
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In an interview with "The Dori Monson Show" on Monday, Trump suggested Kaepernick should find a new country to live in.
"Well, I have followed it and I think it's personally not a good thing. I think it's a terrible thing. Maybe he should find a country that works better for him. Let him try, it won't happen," Trump said.
The White House also commented about the controversy as spokesman Josh Earnest said he was confident President Barack Obama is aware of Kaepernick's actions but hadn't spoken directly with the president about it.
"In general, what I can say is that I certainly don't share the views that Mr. Kaepernick expressed after the game in explaining his reasoning for his actions, but we surely would all acknowledge and even defend his right to express those views in the settings that he chooses," Earnest said. "That's what he's done, and even as objectionable as we find his perspective, he certainly is entitled to express it."
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Kaepernick ripped both Trump and Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.
"You have Hillary who has called black teens or black kids super predators, you have Donald Trump who's openly racist. We have a presidential candidate who has deleted emails and done things illegally and is a presidential candidate. That doesn't make sense to me because if that was any other person you'd be in prison. So, what is this country really standing for?" Kaepernick said.
Kaepernick added that he's prepared to keep fighting for what he believes in, even alone.
"The fact that it has blown up like this, I think it's a good thing. It brings awareness," the 49ers quarterback said. "Now, I think people are really talking about it. Having conversations about how to make change. What's really going on in this country. And we can move forward. ...There is police brutality. People of color have been targeted by police. So that's a large part of it and they're government officials. They are put in place by the government. So that's something that this country has to change. There's things we can do to hold them more accountable. Make those standards higher."
(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
