President Donald Trump doubled down and dug in against the NFL this week. In an ongoing battle over standing for the national anthem, he disinvited this year's Superbowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, to a traditional White House visit. In classic Trump style, it wasn't what he did, it was how he did it. In place of grandstanding with team players, he orchestrated a celebration of America culminating with the Army Chorus singing "God Bless America."
It has been reported that just a handful of team members had planned to attend, so he did what any normal person would have done and canceled the invitation. Seriously, is there anyone reading this who wouldn't have done the same?
Since when did it become a requirement to invite people who hate you to your backyard BBQ? Certainly there are some good men on the team who love their country, but apparently, the vast majority did not want to waste their time visiting the White House. Can anyone blame the president for responding in kind?
Making Lemonade
The beauty of Donald Trump is the thing that drives his enemies berzerk. He wasn't satisfied to just cancel the event in order to save face. He took a lemon and made lemonade. He figuratively said, "I'll have my party with or without you and make you regret not coming." He didn't take his ball and go home when the other kids wouldn't play. He invited different kids to play and shared his Gatorade and snacks with them at the end of the game. He used the opportunity to force his opponents deep into their own territory.
During the event, Trump made the following statement:
I want to take this opportunity to explain why young Americans stand for our national anthem. Maybe it's about time we understood. We stand to honor our military and to honor our country and to remember the fallen heroes who never made it back home. We stand to show our love for our fellow citizens and our magifcent constitution. We stand to pay tribute to the incredible Americans who came before us and the heroic sacrifices they made. America is a great nation, a community of family and America is our home and we love our home.
Do you see what he did here? He forced the other side to defend hating America. Brilliant.
I can already hear the faux outrage from the Left. "Waaaaa, he's a bully." "Waaaaa, he's a racist." "Waaaaa, he is forcing people to like America...which we have a right to hate."
Touchdown, Donald Trump
The Left will spend the next week going crazy over their own interpretation of who President Trump should be, how he should act, and what he should have done. Who cares? He certainly doesn't. Since when does he have to invite anyone to his home? It may be the People's House, but he occupies it and controls who comes and goes. For that matter, why should the leader of the greatest country on the planet even entertain professional athletes?
In the meantime, team DJT just scored two more touchdowns.
What everyone always misses in these situations is what makes Trump, Trump. It's what makes him win. It's the secret sauce that confounds his enemies. It is what makes him so successful as president. Are you ready for this? It's so simple. Brace yourself. Here it comes.
He doesn't care.
Trump is like the old man going to the job interview with a Millennial who askes about his worst trait. "Honesty," the old man replies. "How can honesty be a bad thing?" asked the interviewer. "I honestly don't care what you think," replied the old man.
Whether or not anyone thinks the President has a big ego means nothing to him. He doesn't need money from anyone. He doesn't need the press to reach the American people with his message. He doesn't need "yes" men all around him to boost his ego. He doesn't even need anyone around him thinking he is a genius.
And most of all, he doesn't need to be surrounded by whining professional athletes trying to score political points at his expense.
In case you missed it, you can watch his remarks from yesterday's "Celebration of America" event here: