President Donald Trump on Sunday took a break from his Twitter feud with retiring Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) to take credit for Vice President Mike Pence’s tweet-publicized walk-out on the 49ers-Colts game after players knelt in protest during the anthem.
“I left today’s Colts game because @POTUS and I will not dignify any event that disrespects our soldiers, our Flag, or our National Anthem,” Pence tweeted.
I left today's Colts game because @POTUS and I will not dignify any event that disrespects our soldiers, our Flag, or our National Anthem.
— Vice President Pence (@VP) October 8, 2017
…now, more than ever, we should rally around our Flag and everything that unites us…
— Vice President Pence (@VP) October 8, 2017
I stand with @POTUS Trump, I stand with our soldiers, and I will always stand for our Flag and our National Anthem. pic.twitter.com/B0zP5M41MQ
— Vice President Pence (@VP) October 8, 2017
“I asked @VP Pence to leave stadium if any players kneeled, disrespecting our country. I am proud of him and @SecondLady Karen,” Trump tweeted less than an hour later.
I asked @VP Pence to leave stadium if any players kneeled, disrespecting our country. I am proud of him and @SecondLady Karen.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 8, 2017
His remark raised questions about whether Pence’s protest was planned in advance.
Seems to imply the early departure was planned, at great taxpayer expense. https://t.co/xc5JA11VTS
— Abby D. Phillip (@abbydphillip) October 8, 2017
Have to imagine this was planned in advance. Pence isn't dumb and knew players would be kneeling https://t.co/v01MmfT46s
— andrew kaczynski ? (@KFILE) October 8, 2017
FLAG: Was Pence leaving Colts game a political stunt? Reporters were told to stay in van bc "there may be an early departure from the game."
— Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) October 8, 2017
Trump’s tweet was just the latest of a series he posted Sunday about members of his own caucus. The President started the day by attacking Corker, who he claimed “didn’t have the guts to run” for re-election without a presidential endorsement.
Corker, who in September announced his plans to retire in 2018, fired back: “It’s a shame the White House has become an adult day care center.”
To top it all off, Corker’s chief of staff Todd Womack said Trump in fact told Corker that he could count on Trump’s endorsement if he reconsidered his decision to retire.
“The President called the senator early last week and asked him to reconsider his decision not to seek re-election and reaffirmed that he would have endorsed him, as he has said many times,” Womack told the Daily Beast.
