President Donald Trump held a "patriotism" event at the White House Tuesday afternoon instead of a Super Bowl celebration for the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles that he canceled.
The president said Tuesday on the South Lawn that it's time to "explain why young Americans stand for our national anthem."
Trump sang along to "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "God Bless America" during a brief ceremony that included the U.S. Marine Band and the U.S. Army chorus.
Reporters with Swedish Television, SVT, caught video of one man in the crowd taking a knee during the celebration.
When asked afterward why he took a knee, the man told a reporter he didn't have anything to say and didn't want to give his name.
Trump did not mention the Eagles. He accused players of abandoning their fans because many had said they wouldn't show up.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders says it was the Philadelphia Eagles, not President Donald Trump, "who changed their commitment at the last minute" to a White House Super Bowl celebration. Trump had been prepared to host the Eagles Tuesday, but announced Monday he was canceling the event.
The president says that the nation needs to remember the "fallen heroes" and that the country stands together "for freedom, we stand together for patriotism."
In a statement later on Tuesday, Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins did not reference Trump or Sanders specifically but said, "the decision was made to lie, and paint the picture that these players are anti-America, anti-flag and anti-military."
