After President Trump disinvited the Philadelphia Eagles from visiting the White House on Tuesday, wide receiver Torrey Smith called the recall “a cowardly act.”
“There are a lot of people on the team that have plenty of different views. The men and women that wanted to go should’ve been able to go,” Smith wrote on Twitter Monday afternoon. “It’s a cowardly act to cancel the celebration because the majority of the people don’t want to see you. To make it about the anthem is foolish.”
The Super Bowl-winning wide receiver was reacting to Trump’s announcement earlier in the day that the “Philadelphia Eagles are unable to come to the White House with their full team to be celebrated tomorrow. They disagree 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.”
In a string of tweets in response, Smith said: “So many lies smh Here are some facts 1. Not many people were going to go 2. No one refused to go simply because Trump “insists” folks stand for the anthem 3. The President continues to spread the false narrative that players are anti military.”
He also replied to one commentator he said that players had no business being honored if they refuse to stand for the national anthem by saying: “If you are going to tweet…tweet facts…no one on the Eagles took a knee last season……….”
A trip to meet with the current president is part of the traditional honor for the reigning Super Bowl champions. The sudden cancellation of this week’s ceremony came after several other players — including Smith, Chris Long and Malcolm Jenkins — had said that they would not visit the White House following their Super Bowl LII victory over the New England Patriots last February.
See Smith’s tweets below:
So many lies smh
Here are some facts
1. Not many people were going to go
2. No one refused to go simply because Trump “insists” folks stand for the anthem
3. The President continues to spread the false narrative that players are anti military pic.twitter.com/89GUNhJ4eE— Torrey Smith (@TorreySmithWR) June 4, 2018
There are a lot of people on the team that have plenty of different views. The men and women that wanted to go should’ve been able to go. It’s a cowardly act to cancel the celebration because the majority of the people don’t want to see you. To make it about the anthem is foolish
— Torrey Smith (@TorreySmithWR) June 4, 2018
If you are going to tweet…tweet facts…no one on the Eagles took a knee last season………. https://t.co/7aiTuvVKe8
— Torrey Smith (@TorreySmithWR) June 5, 2018
See more tweets objecting to Trump’s announcement banning the Eagles below.
So it’s not new news several of the Eagles were participating in peaceful demonstrations during the national anthem, and weren’t interested in going to the White House. In other words, this was a political setup by Trump.
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) June 4, 2018
The @Eagles are still welcome to visit the US Capitol. I will have @Wawa coffee waiting. https://t.co/Ts41v7GBGn
— US Rep Brendan Boyle (@RepBrendanBoyle) June 4, 2018
Hey @realDonaldTrump it’s one thing to be wrong on policy, but to take on my @Eagles is a whole new level.
You even make a championship team visiting the White House all about you. What is wrong with you? Seriously, what condition do you have? https://t.co/QOknsH20Ln— US Rep Brendan Boyle (@RepBrendanBoyle) June 4, 2018
I’m proud of what the @Eagles accomplished this year. I’m skipping this political stunt at the White House and just invited the Eagles to Congress. @Eagles How about a tour of the Capitol? https://t.co/niWR7zkSYx
— Senator Bob Casey (@SenBobCasey) June 4, 2018
Trump canceling Eagles’ White House visit was probably always the plan by Trump. It’s cowardly and manipulative.
It also continues to show how dumb the owners were to kowtow to him.— mike freeman (@mikefreemanNFL) June 4, 2018