WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Nike sent a “terrible message” this week by making former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick one of the faces representing the 30th anniversary of the company’s “Just Do It” campaign. But he also said the company’s ability to make its own business decisions “is what this country is all about.” 
 
 “I think it’s a terrible message. Nike is a tenant of mine. They pay a lot of rent,” Trump said, referring to Niketown New York, which is — for now — located at 6 East 57th Street in New York City. 
 
 The president made the remarks during an exclusive Oval Office interview with The Daily Caller Tuesday afternoon. (RELATED: Trump Says Bob Woodward Has ‘A Lot Of Credibility Problems’) 
 
 Kaepernick kicked off a protest movement among some NFL players during the 2016 pre-season when he began kneeling at games during the national anthem, rather than standing. 
 
 Kaepernick, who now alleges that league owners are colluding to keep him off an NFL roster, explained the rationale behind his protest in August of that year: “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.” 
 
 President Trump has been staunchly and vocally opposed to players protesting during the anthem, tweeting in September 2017, for instance, “The issue of kneeling has nothing to do with race. It is about respect for our Country, Flag and National Anthem. NFL must respect this!” 
 
 On Monday afternoon, Kaepernick tweeted an image from Nike’s campaign, with the words, “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.” written across the athlete’s face. 
 
 Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything. #JustDoIt pic.twitter.com/SRWkMIDdaO — Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) September 3, 2018 
 
 Trump added Tuesday that “there’s no reason” for the famous sports apparel company to tap Kaepernick for the campaign. 
 
 “But I think it’s a terrible message that they’re sending and the purpose of them doing it, maybe there’s a reason for them doing it,” Trump mused, “but I think as far as sending a message, I think it’s a terrible message and a message that shouldn’t be sent. There’s no reason for it.” (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Trump Says He Won’t Be Watching Neil Armstrong Movie After American Flag Snub) 
 
 Despite that, Trump acknowledged that it’s Nike’s right to make its own business decisions. 
 
 “As much as I disagree with the Colin Kaepernick endorsement, in another way — I mean, I wouldn’t have done it,” Trump said. 
 
 “In another way, it is what this country is all about, that you have certain freedoms to do things that other people think you shouldn’t do, but I personally am on a different side of it.” 
 
 Follow Vince and Saagar on Twitter ||||| A large billboard stands on top of a Nike store showing former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick at Union Square, Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2018, in San Francisco. An endorsement deal between... (Associated Press) 
 
 A large billboard stands on top of a Nike store showing former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick at Union Square, Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2018, in San Francisco. An endorsement deal between Nike and Colin Kaepernick prompted a flood of debate Tuesday as sports fans reacted to the apparel... (Associated Press) 
 
 PHILADELPHIA (AP) — As Colin Kaepernick watched from the apparel giant's headquarters in Oregon, Nike aired its highly anticipated ad featuring the quarterback known for his social protests during the NFL season opener Thursday night. 
 
 The spot highlighting the former 49ers quarterback locked in a grievance with the league aired during the first ad break in the third quarter of the Eagles-Falcons game, which started with no overt demonstrations by players during the national anthem. 
 
 A person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that Kaepernick was watching the ad's first television airing on NBC at an event held at Nike's world headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the visit were not announced publicly. 
 
 Still, some attendees posted accounts of the visit on social media, including video of Kaepernick speaking to a crowd Thursday several hours before the ad aired. 
 
 "You have to think beyond what you see around you," said Kaepernick, who hasn't spoken to the media publicly since opting out of his contract with San Francisco and becoming a free agent in 2017. 
 
 "You have to see the future that you believe in and that you want not just for yourself but all the people you see globally," he said. 
 
 Kaepernick's deal with Nike for the 30th anniversary of the "Just Do It" campaign was the most polarizing issue in sports this week, prompting heated debate on several topics including athletes protesting social injustice and Nike wading into political waters. Some fans responded to Kaepernick's sponsorship deal by cutting or burning gear with Nike's signature swoosh logo. Others argued the backlash and calls for a Nike boycott showed how debate has morphed beyond how to react to athletes trying to highlight issues like racial inequality and police shootings of unarmed minorities. 
 
 "I don't like what Nike did. I don't think it's appropriate what they did," President Donald Trump said in an interview with Fox News before a rally in Montana. "I honor the flag. I honor our national anthem and most of the people in this country feel the same way." 
 
 There were no clear-cut protests as "The Star-Spangled Banner" played before the game with both teams on the field and the song broadcasted nationally. 
 
 Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins and defensive end Michael Bennett were on the sideline and neither really demonstrated during the song. Jenkins and Bennett regularly have either knelt or stayed off the field during the anthem to protest social injustice and racial inequality. They have been among the most vocal protesters since Kaepernick began similar demonstrations in 2016. Jenkins stood with teammates while Bennett wandered behind them near the Eagles bench and adjusted his equipment. 
 
 Jenkins said he thinks players should shift the focus of the debate away from the anthem itself and back to the issues they are trying to highlight. 
 
 "I think there's a huge need for us to turn the attention to not only the issues, but what players are actually doing in their communities to promote change," he said. "We're trying to move past the rhetoric of what's right or what's wrong in terms of the anthem and really focus on the systematic issues that are plaguing our communities." 
 
 No Falcons players were absent from the sideline and none has protested in the recent past. 
 
 The anthem has been a particularly thorny issue for the NFL, especially Trump urging owners to bench or fire players who demonstrate. Players say their message has been misconstrued into something against the American flag or the military. 
 
 Kaepernick's grievance against the league and team owners accuses owners of colluding to keep him off any roster. An arbitrator gave Kaepernick an incremental victory by allowing the challenge to go to trial. 
 
 Jenkins said Nike's commercial is changing the portrayal of Kaepernick in the public eye. 
 
 "Quite frankly, long after all of this is done (Kaepernick) will be looked at as somebody that changed this sport and changed the dynamics of all athletes in general in our country," Jenkins said. 
 
 The league and players union still haven't resolved whether players will be punished this season if they choose to kneel or demonstrate during the anthem. Owners approved a policy requiring players to stand if they are on the sideline during the song, allowing them to stay off the field if they wish. 
 
 But the league and union put that on hold after the Miami Dolphins faced backlash for classifying the protests as conduct potentially detrimental to the team — putting players at risk of fines or suspensions. 
 
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 AP Pro Football Writer Barry Wilner and sports writer Ben Nuckols contributed to this report. 
 
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– The backlash over Colin Kaepernick's appearance in Nike's latest ad campaign continues: Now President Trump has weighed in. "I think it’s a terrible message," Trump tells the Daily Caller. "I think it’s a terrible message that they’re sending and the purpose of them doing it, maybe there’s a reason for them doing it, but I think as far as sending a message, I think it’s a terrible message and a message that shouldn’t be sent. There’s no reason for it." The ad features Kaepernick, who started the controversial NFL anthem protests and who is now accusing NFL owners of colluding to keep him off any team's roster, overlaid with the message, "Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything." Trump conceded, though, "As much as I disagree with the Colin Kaepernick endorsement, in another way—I mean, I wouldn’t have done it. In another way, [but] it is what this country is all about, that you have certain freedoms to do things that other people think you shouldn’t do, but I personally am on a different side of it." Trump also noted "Nike is a tenant of mine. They pay a lot of rent," referring to Niketown New York at 6 East 57th Street in New York City. Meanwhile, the AP reports that in the league's first statement since Nike announced the ad campaign, an NFL exec says the social justice issues raised by Kaepernick and other players "deserve our attention and action" and that the league supports players promoting "meaningful, positive change in our communities."