Jaguars Owner, Trump Donor Shad Khan Calls President ‘Great Divider’
Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan, who donated $1 million to President Donald Trump’s inauguration, discussed the president and his rhetoric on Thursday, referring to him as a "great divider."
Khan criticized Trump over his politicization of the NFL’s ongoing player protests during the national anthem, which began as a response from African-American players to police brutality and racism in America, and has escalated into something more after the president loudly cast protestors as unpatriotic. NFL players have made clear that they are not disrespecting the flag or the military by using their platform to make a statement.
“You have to give Trump credit, people are confused on the First Amendment versus patriotism, that if you exercise your First Amendment you’re not a patriot, which is crazy,” Khan said Thursday at an executive conference for Crain’s Who’s Who in Chicago Business. “People are confused on it, [Trump] knew he could hit on it and take advantage. I think what we’re seeing is the great divider overcoming the great uniter.”
NFL owners are set to meet in New York next week to discuss the anthem after Trump has called for the league to make it mandatory that players stand for the song.
