Trump Cancels Eagles White House Visit

PHILADELPHIA – A day before the Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles were set to visit the White House, the Trump administration said the team won't be there due to a disagreement over standing for the National Anthem.

In a statement issued Monday night, the White House Press Office said the team "disagree(s) with their President because he insists that they proudly stand for the National Anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country."

During the 2017-2018 NFL season, none of the Eagles players kneeled during the playing of the National Anthem before any game.

President Trump on Twitter Monday night said players who stay in team locker rooms are showing the same disrespect as players who kneel during the National Anthem.

The statement said a celebration will still be held Tuesday, but that it will be a "different type of ceremony" that will pay tribute to the United States.

That ceremony was a "celebration of America," featuring the United States Marine Band and the United States Army Chorus, as well as a brief speech from Trump. See highlights from the event here.

"The Eagles wanted to send a smaller delegation," the White House statement reads, "but the 1,000 fans planning to attend the event deserve better."

Only part of the team was planning to attend the visit, as some players were vocal about their desire not to visit the White House. Torrey Smith, Brandon Graham, Malcolm Jenkins, and Chris Long are some of the players who said they were not planning to attend the visit.

The team responded in a statement Monday night.

"It has been incredibly thrilling to celebrate our first Super Bowl Championship," the team said via Twitter. "Watching the entire Eagles community come together has been an inspiration. We are truly grateful for all of the support we have received and we are looking forward to continuing our preparations for the 2018 season."

According to NFL Network Reporter Mike Garafolo, less than 10 players were planning to attend the visit.

Smith took to Twitter shortly after the statement was issued, accusing the administration of lying about the decision to nix the trip and called the cancellation "cowardly."

Smith also took conservative author Charlie Kirk to task after Kirk said players who kneel don't deserve to visit the White House, with Smith reaffirming that no Eagles players kneeled during the National Anthem last season.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro took aim at the Trump Administration, saying the team is welcome in his office.

"We’ll celebrate your Super Bowl victory and while we are at it we can discuss criminal justice reform or whatever else is on your mind," Shapiro said on Facebook Monday evening.

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney also issued a statement lauding the team's on-the-field and off-the-field efforts.

"Fans all across the country rallied behind them because we like to root for the underdog and we feel joy when we see the underdogs finally win," the statement said. I’m equally proud of the Eagles’ activism off the field. These are players who stand up for the causes they believe in and who contribute in meaningful ways to their community."

But Kenney attacked the administration and President Trump himself in closing his statement.

"Disinviting them from the White House only proves that our President is not a true patriot, but a fragile egomaniac obsessed with crowd size and afraid of the embarrassment of throwing a party to which no one wants to attend," Kenney said. "City Hall is always open for a celebration."

Controversy over players kneeling during the National Anthem arose when San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began kneeling at the suggestion of Nate Boyer, a retired Green Beret and former N.F.L. player, after Kaepernick sat during the anthem to protest the treatment of African American citizens by police.

Since then, other athletes, fans, celebrities, politicians, musicians, and many others across have rallied behind the peaceful protests, but critics say the kneeling is disrespectful to military servicemen and women despite players openly saying the protests are not directed at military members.

Recently, the NFL announced teams will be fined if players kneel during the National Anthem, which led to accusations of First Amendment violations.

Steve Kerr, head coach of the Golden State Warriors, called the policy "fake patriotism."

"I think it's just typical of the NFL," Kerr said according to ESPN. "They're just playing off their fan base, and they're just basically trying to use the anthem as fake patriotism, nationalism, scaring people. It's idiotic, but that's how the NFL has handled their business."

This is a breaking story, check back for updates.

Patch file photo