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. “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. 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. 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. 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. (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.
– 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."