After disrespecting flag at military base, Trump hides behind flag to attack free speech

Trump has spent multiple weeks of his presidency attacking NFL players for taking a knee during the national anthem to raise awareness about police brutality against black Americans.

Trump has fumed that the NFL should be boycotted for not punishing the players for expressing themselves, and said players who protest should be fired.

In his address, Trump complained, “Before watching a football game, you want to see those players be proud of their country. Respect our country. Respect our flag.”

TRUMP: Before watching a football game, you want to see those players be proud of their country. Respect our country. Respect our flag. And respect our national anthem and we think they will. We certainly hope they will.

Trump did not heed his own words when he had the chance to do so.

Trump laughed and joked with host Sean Hannity as “Retreat” played while both men were at an Air National Guard base in Pennsylvania. “Retreat” is played daily on military bases and used to signal the end of the day and “pay respect to the nation’s flag,” according to the Army.

Trump instead said it was a “nice sound” and asked Hannity if the song was being played “in honor” of his television ratings.

Veterans of the military have slammed Trump’s behavior.

Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA), a former active duty officer in the U.S. Air Force, told Shareblue Media, “He calls on athletes to stop exercising their Constitutional rights under the guise of being respectful to our military and then fails to actually honor our service members.”

Terron Sims, a fellow with Truman National Security Project and U.S. Army veteran, said, “Hypocrisy, thy name is Trump.”

Trump has not apologized to America for disrespecting the flag, or to the armed services for doing so while serving in his role as commander in chief.

He continues to attack others while only honoring the flag himself when he feels like it.