White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders defended President Donald Trump's criticism of NFL players during a press briefing, stating it is "always appropriate" for the president to defend the American flag and national anthem.
How did the White House respond to NFL protests and Colin Kaepernick?
Sarah Huckabee Sanders rejected the notion that President Trump’s responses to NFL protests are tied to race, asserting that the president is speaking about “pride in our country.” When asked if the president had gone too far by calling players “sons of bitches” who should be fired, Sanders stated, “I think it’s always appropriate for the president of the United States to defend our flag, to defend the national anthem and to defend the men and women who fought and died to defend it.”
The exchange intensified when reporters questioned the disparity between the administration’s criticism of NFL players and its perceived leniency toward white supremacist protestors who claimed their actions were based on “heritage.” In response, Sanders suggested that if the protests are truly about police brutality, “they should protest the officers on the field that are protecting them instead of the American flag.”
Sanders later clarified her comment, stating she was “pointing out the hypocrisy” of protesting the flag to signal a message about police brutality. When asked directly if the president has an issue with the First Amendment, Sanders replied, “Not at all,” adding that the president believes standing for the anthem is a symbol that should “bring us together, not divide us.”
What is the status of the Tom Price private jet investigation?
The White House addressed reports that Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tom Price spent $400,000 in taxpayer money on private charter flights since May. Sanders clarified that this was not “White House–approved travel” but was instead done through the general budget at the Department of HHS.
According to Sanders, Secretary Price addressed the matter over the weekend. She confirmed that they are conducting both an internal review and an IG review and that all travel on private charter has been suspended until that is completed.
How did the administration defend the President’s UN speech on North Korea?
Reporters questioned why President Trump made the speech that he made at the United Nations after being warned not to provoke North Korea. Sanders dismissed these reports as a “false narrative.”
She stated that the national security team was “involved and engaged throughout the speech-writing process” and was “very happy with the president’s speech at the UN.”
What was the White House’s stance on internal disagreements and private servers?
The briefing also touched upon political friction within the administration, specifically regarding Secretary Carson’s disagreement with the president and vice president regarding the runoff Senate election in Alabama — Carson has endorsed Roy Moore, while Trump endorsed his opponent Luther Strange. Sanders defended the diversity of thought within the administration, stating, “The president has a lot of people with a variety of backgrounds and certainly with a variety of opinions. He always welcomes them voicing those.”
Finally, when questioned about whether Jared Kushner’s emails from his private server would be released, Sanders stated that she did not have information regarding that issue.
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