The owner of the New England Patriots issued a statement against President Donald Trump's comments Sunday that NFL owners should fire players taking a knee during the national anthem.
Robert Kraft issued a statement on Twitter Sunday, splitting with Trump.
Kraft reportedly has a personal relationship with Trump and had praised him during his 2016 presidential campaign, Sporting News noted last year.
An apparent bump in that relationship started Friday when Trump said at a rally in Alabama that players taking a knee during the national anthem before games should be fired. Some players have taken a knee and done other signs of protest during the national anthem after former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began the demonstration last year.
"Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, 'Get that son of a b***h off the field right now, out," Trump told the rally, according to The Washington Post. "He's fired. He's fired!'"
Kraft praised his friendship with Trump last year during the presidential campaign.
"While I am not comfortable discussing politics publicly, I am very comfortable talking about my friendships with people who happen to be in politics," Kraft said of Trump in 2016, per the Boston Globe.
"After my wife passed in 2011, he was one of the few people who went out of their way and went above and beyond to assist me through the most difficult time in my life. I will always be grateful to him for his thoughtfulness and his continued friendship," Kraft added then.
Trump responded to Kraft's statement, NBC Sports noted.
"That's OK. He has to take his ideas and go with what he wants," Trump stated, according to NBC Sports. "I think it's very disrespectful to our country. I think it's very, very disrespectful to our flag. I like Bob very, much. He's my friend. He gave me a Super Bowl ring a month ago, right? So he's a good friend of mine, and I want him to do what he wants to do."
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