LOS ANGELES – US President Donald Trump’s attempt to co-opt sprint king Usain Bolt in his feud with NFL protesters drew a stinging response on Wednesday from one group of Jamaican sports fans.
“Please leave the Boss out of your politricks,” a post on the Twitter feed of @JamaicaOlympics said.
Trump had dragged Bolt into the debate on Tuesday night, tweeting a 2012 video that shows the world’s fastest man cutting off an interview so he can stand in silence for “The Star Spangled Banner”.
“Even Usain Bolt from Jamaica, one of the greatest runners and athletes of all time, showed RESPECT for our National Anthem,” Trump tweeted.
Please leave The Boss out of your politricks. https://t.co/jMi4r4ajEL
— Team Jamaica (@JamaicaOlympics) September 27, 2017
It was just one salvo in Trump’s tussle with NFL players, who are using the national anthem as a vehicle for social protest.
Trump’s tirade against players who declined to stand for the anthem in a bid to draw attention to racial injustice sparked an unprecedented wave of protest across the league.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said on Tuesday that his team planned to continue to show solidarity in the face of Trump’s attacks by linking arms during the anthem – and would even ask fans to join in “and show that we can be connected and we can grow together”.