Drew Brees To President Trump: ‘We Can No Longer Use The Flag To Turn People Away Or Distract Them From The Real Issues…’

On Friday, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees issued an Instagram statement to President Donald Trump.

“To Donald Trump,” the text-image reads:

Through my ongoing conversations with friends, teammates, and leaders in the black community, I realize this is not an issue about the American flag. It has never been. We can no longer use the flag to turn people away or distract them from the real issues that face our black communities.

We did this back in 2017, and regretfully I brought it back with my comments this week. We must stop talking about the flag and shift our attention to the real issues of systemic racial injustice, economic oppression, police brutality, and judicial & prison reform.

We are at a critical juncture in our nation’s history! If not now, then when? We as a white community need to listen and learn from the pain and suffering of our black communities. We must acknowledge the problems, identify the solutions, and then put this into action. The black community cannot do it alone. This will require all of us.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

To @realdonaldtrump Through my ongoing conversations with friends, teammates, and leaders in the black community, I realize this is not an issue about the American flag. It has never been. We can no longer use the flag to turn people away or distract them from the real issues that face our black communities. We did this back in 2017, and regretfully I brought it back with my comments this week. We must stop talking about the flag and shift our attention to the real issues of systemic racial injustice, economic oppression, police brutality, and judicial & prison reform. We are at a critical juncture in our nation’s history! If not now, then when? We as a white community need to listen and learn from the pain and suffering of our black communities. We must acknowledge the problems, identify the solutions, and then put this into action. The black community cannot do it alone. This will require all of us.

A post shared by Drew Brees (@drewbrees) on Jun 5, 2020 at 7:10pm PDT

The Instagram post from Brees has more than 237,000 “likes” as of publication.

Brees’ latest post is likely in response to the following tweet from President Trump:

…We should be standing up straight and tall, ideally with a salute, or a hand on heart. There are other things you can protest, but not our Great American Flag – NO KNEELING!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 5, 2020

Brees has been caught up in controversy since Wednesday, when during an interview with Yahoo Finance, he spoke about the anthem kneeling protests in the NFL.

Yahoo Finance Editor-at-Large Daniel Roberts asked Brees about the possibility that anthem kneeling would return to the NFL in light of the ongoing protests and riots following the killing of George Floyd.

Brees replied in part:

I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America, or our country…

Is everything right with our country right now? No, it’s not. We still have a long way to go. But I think what you do by standing there and showing respect to the flag with your hand over your heart is it shows unity. It shows that we are all in this together, we can all do better, and that we are all part of the solution.

Read his full statement here.

After the interview went live, Brees was hit with intense backlash, including from Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins, who released a lengthy video in which he severely criticized Brees.

“Even though we’re teammates, I can’t let this slide,” Jenkins stated.

The very next day, Brees issued the following apology on Instagram:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

I would like to apologize to my friends, teammates, the City of New Orleans, the black community, NFL community and anyone I hurt with my comments yesterday. In speaking with some of you, it breaks my heart to know the pain I have caused. In an attempt to talk about respect, unity, and solidarity centered around the American flag and the national anthem, I made comments that were insensitive and completely missed the mark on the issues we are facing right now as a country. They lacked awareness and any type of compassion or empathy. Instead, those words have become divisive and hurtful and have misled people into believing that somehow I am an enemy. This could not be further from the truth, and is not an accurate reflection of my heart or my character. This is where I stand: I stand with the black community in the fight against systemic racial injustice and police brutality and support the creation of real policy change that will make a difference. I condemn the years of oppression that have taken place throughout our black communities and still exists today. I acknowledge that we as Americans, including myself, have not done enough to fight for that equality or to truly understand the struggles and plight of the black community. I recognize that I am part of the solution and can be a leader for the black community in this movement. I will never know what it’s like to be a black man or raise black children in America but I will work every day to put myself in those shoes and fight for what is right. I have ALWAYS been an ally, never an enemy. I am sick about the way my comments were perceived yesterday, but I take full responsibility and accountability. I recognize that I should do less talking and more listening…and when the black community is talking about their pain, we all need to listen. For that, I am very sorry and I ask your forgiveness.

A post shared by Drew Brees (@drewbrees) on Jun 4, 2020 at 5:22am PDT

Some commenters were disappointed that the quarterback “caved” to the “mob.”

Dave Rubin of “The Rubin Report” tweeted:

Bad move Drew. Now live on your knees forever.

— Dave Rubin (@RubinReport) June 4, 2020

Bad move Drew. Now live on your knees forever.

Conservative radio host and columnist David Webb tweeted:

It’s a sad day when your or any American’s right to voice an opinion succumbs to the mob, any mob, regardless of agreement or disagreement. #GeorgeFloyd

— David Webb (@davidwebbshow) June 4, 2020

It’s a sad day when your or any American’s right to voice an opinion succumbs to the mob, any mob, regardless of agreement or disagreement. #GeorgeFloyd

Regardless, Brees’ apolotweet has received more than 57,000 “likes,” and been retweeted appropriately 26,000 times as of publication. His statement on Instagram, which was linked in the tweet, has been “liked” more than 329,000 times.

Brees’ initial Instagram apology was followed by another post in which he wrote: “Step-by-step you will see my heart for exactly what it is and the way everyone around me sees it. I’m sorry it has taken this long to act and to participate in a meaningful way but I am your ally in this fight.”

RELATED: NFL Quarterback Drew Brees DRAGGED For Anthem Kneeling Remarks

RELATED: Drew Brees Caves, Asks For ‘Forgiveness’ For Saying Americans Should Respect The Flag

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