Trump Called Out for Video Showing Him Joking Around, Pretending to Conduct the Band During National Anthem
President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly attacked athletes who protest police brutality by taking a knee during the national anthem, was caught on video at his Super Bowl LIV watch party at Mar-A-Lago joking around, playfully pointing his finger at other guests, and waving his arms in the air pretending to conduct the band during the playing of the “Star-Spangled Banner”
The president’s actions on Sunday night were captured on a video by a fellow Mar-A-Lago party attendee — a real-estate agent for a Russian-American firm — and posted on Instagram, and was subsequently re-published by the Miami Herald. Trump’s casual, jokey behavior in the clip stands in stark contrast to everyone else visible, including First Lady Melania Trump, who stand still during the anthem, most with their right hand over their hearts. Notably, Trump’s highly informal conduct comes at the same moment that conservatives are blasting Beyoncé and Jay-Z for remaining seated during the national anthem at Super Bowl LIV.
Trump, of course, has a long history of angrily lashing out at kneeling athletes like Colin Kaepernick for, as he sees it, disrespecting the anthem and flag, at times calling for them to be immediately fired, saying NFL owners should “get that son of a bitch off the field.” He’s also strongly suggested anyone who doesn’t show proper respect during the “Star-Spangled Banner” might be worthy of deportation, saying in 2018: “You have to stand proudly for the National Anthem, or you shouldn’t be playing, you shouldn’t be there. Maybe you shouldn’t be in the country.”
Tha hypocrisy was too much to take for online critics, who quickly fired back at Trump.
Donald Trump, who cares deeply about the national anthem, is caught goofing off in a video by a “real estate agent for a Russian-American firm who frequents Mar-a-Lago,” where Trump was watching the Super Bowl with paying customers pic.twitter.com/eaTvUVUFSg
— Robert Maguire (@RobertMaguire_) February 3, 2020
In September 2017, Trump said when someone disrespects our flag during the national anthem, the owners should say “Get that son of a bitch off the field right now…He’s fired.”
But last night during the Super Bowl, Trump was caught goofing off during the national anthem. https://t.co/iADcqxr8O7
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) February 3, 2020
“You have to stand, proudly, for the national anthem or you shouldn’t be playing. You shouldn’t be there. Maybe you shouldn’t be in the country.” – @realDonaldTrump https://t.co/YEfTcNXJSa
— Andrew Weinstein (@Weinsteinlaw) February 3, 2020
Trump has repeatedly said Americans should “stand proudly” during the national anthem, and publicly chastises those who don’t as disrespectful of the troops.
Well…this seems to be not standing proudly.
Trump fidgets, points, pretend-conducts the band https://t.co/cxj3qIe11s
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) February 3, 2020
Four different Fox shows ran segments this morning on Beyonce and Jay-Z not standing for the national anthem at the Super Bowl.
Meanwhile, “As others stand at attention for anthem, Trump fidgets, points, pretend-conducts the band” https://t.co/aLlVsePlAp pic.twitter.com/4gTcookoSU
— Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) February 3, 2020
President Donald Trump has repeatedly said all Americans should “stand proudly” during the national anthem, and publicly chastises those who don’t as disrespectful of the troops.
https://t.co/dyGYeyw70L— Charlie Sykes (@SykesCharlie) February 3, 2020
Trump clowns around during the national anthem.
What you’d expect from a clown
— Pat Bagley (@Patbagley) February 3, 2020
Boy. Good thing Trump is not a black NFL player, because otherwise this behavior would probably be really disrespectful and bad.https://t.co/hWoN4n2KJo
— S.V. Dáte (@svdate) February 3, 2020
Sure glad we spent the past few years listening to Trump’s faux outrage over kneeling during the national anthem! He obviously takes this song very, very seriously. pic.twitter.com/qgA5NSeUG2
— Adam Best (@adamcbest) February 3, 2020
Hey @TheRickWilson: If there was ever a video to use in an anti-Trump commercial, it’s this one showing Trump during playing of the national anthem – fidgeting, waving, moving chairs and then waving his hands around conducting. What a “great” “American.”https://t.co/3UUUNtWTdN
— Kurt Eichenwald (@kurteichenwald) February 3, 2020
Trump caught mocking the National Anthem during the #SuperBowl.
Since we know the GOP takes a zero-tolerance stand against any display of disrespect toward the flag, I expect the right will be offering a full-throated condemnation.
…Any day now.pic.twitter.com/lMcwYfkPog
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) February 3, 2020
Donald Trump, who cares deeply about the national anthem, is caught goofing off in a video by a “real estate agent for a Russian-American firm who frequents Mar-a-Lago,” where Trump was watching the Super Bowl with paying customers pic.twitter.com/eaTvUVUFSg
— Robert Maguire (@RobertMaguire_) February 3, 2020
For someone who claims to be such a patriot (and who attacked NFL players protesting police brutality), it sure doesn’t seem like @realDonaldTrump has a lot of respect for the National Anthem. pic.twitter.com/VrPBx1HXzo
— David Cicilline (@davidcicilline) February 3, 2020
Sir, why do you disrespect America by mocking the national anthem by flapping your arms around and literally taking a seat in the middle of the song? https://t.co/zxhPPpTd31
— Jennifer Taub (@jentaub) February 3, 2020
Instead of standing at attention and putting his hand over his heart during the National Anthem, Trump grinned and pretended to conduct the music. Yeah, that’s way more respectful than kneeling.
— John Leguizamo (@JohnLeguizamo) February 3, 2020
NEWS.
Trump attacks anyone who doesn’t proudly stand for national anthem.
New VIDEO. Trump was ignoring the national anthem at his own Super Bowl watch party at Mar-a-Lago. https://t.co/Ofi60R1hAs
— Jesse Ferguson (@JesseFFerguson) February 3, 2020
Look forward to the right wing outrage over how @realDonaldTrump callously disrespected the National Anthem https://t.co/hypemLssgd
— Adam Blickstein (@AdamBlickstein) February 3, 2020
