President Donald Trump said that he wouldn’t encourage his youngest son to play football, citing the dangers of the sport.
FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting to “discuss fighting human trafficking on the southern border” in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, U.S., February 1, 2019. REUTERS/Jim Young
Appearing on CBS’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday, Trump was asked in a wide-ranging interview about his son, Barron, and football.
“It’s a very good question,” Trump said when asked if he would allow Barron to play. “If he wanted to? Yes. Would I steer him that way? No, I wouldn’t.”
Barron, who turns 13 next month, plays soccer.
“He’s liking soccer. And a lot of people, including me, thought soccer would probably never make it in this country, but it really is moving forward rapidly,” Trump said. “I just don’t like the reports that I see coming out having to do with football. I mean, it’s a dangerous sport and I think it’s really tough. I thought the equipment would get better, and it has. The helmets have gotten far better but it hasn’t solved the problem.
“So, you know, I hate to say it because I love to watch football. I think the NFL is a great product, but I really think that as far as my son? Well I’ve heard NFL players saying they wouldn’t let their sons play football. So. It’s not totally unique, but I would have a hard time with it.”
Former President Barack Obama, the father of two daughters, said in a 2014 interview that he would not allow his son, if he had one, to play pro football.
Also Sunday, Trump addressed his relationship with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Trump has been extremely critical of players who chose to kneel or sit during the pregame national anthem. He said believes he and Goodell have put aside their differences.
“I think so. I mean I was just one that felt very important, you can’t be kneeling for the national anthem. You have to respect our flag and our country,” he said. “I want that as president and I’d want that as a citizen. … But they haven’t been kneeling and they have been respecting the flag and their ratings have been terrific ever since. And a lot of good things happened.”
—Field Level Media