Many Americans think athletes who kneel during the national anthem to protest racial injustice are doing the wrong thing — but a solid majority say President Donald Trump is wrong to criticize them, a poll showed.
The CNN survey released Friday showed Americans sharply divided over NFL players taking a knee during the national anthem.
According to the poll, 49 percent of respondents don't agree with athletes expressing their political opinions during the Star Spangled Banner, compared to 43 percent who think it's the right thing to do.
The response also was divided over whether National Football League owners should require players to stand during the anthem, according to the survey, with 49 percent saying owners should force them to stand, while 47 percent saying it shouldn't be required.
There's more clarity over Trump's bitter criticism of the athletes participating in the silent protest, with 60 percent saying they think it's wrong for Trump to criticize the players and 34 percent saying he was right to do that, the poll showed.
Trump's highlighting of the issue could have repercussions for the NFL, the poll suggests; 24 percent of Americans say they plan to boycott the NFL's games, broadcasts or products as a result of the take-the-knee protests.
The number rises to 50 percent among Trump's supporters; among Republicans, 45 percent say they plan to boycott as do 25 percent of independents and 10 percent of Democrats. Twenty percent of current NFL fans say they'll boycott.
The survey also found Trump's job approval rating took a hit by the controversy, dropping 3 points, to 37 percent, compared to a week ago.
The entire poll's margin of error is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
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