U.S. President Donald Trump contended Monday that professional football players' refusal to stand for the country's national anthem has "nothing to do with race," even though many of the athletes themselves said it was meant to protest racism and police brutality against minorities in the United States.

Hundreds of players, coaches and team owners defied Trump on Sunday by sitting, kneeling and locking arms as the "Star Spangled Banner" was played before the start of 14 games, rather than displaying the traditional hand-over-heart support for the flag and country.

In recent days, Trump had called on National Football League owners to fire the players, most of them black, who refused to stand for the playing of the national anthem, a tradition at many professional athletic events in the U.S., and suggested fans boycott the widely popular NFL games, a fixture of fall Sundays in the country.

"The issue of kneeling has nothing to do with race," Trump said in a Twitter comment. "It is about respect for our Country, Flag and National Anthem. NFL must respect this!"

The U.S. leader added, "Many people booed the players who kneeled yesterday (which was a small percentage of total). These are fans who demand respect for our Flag!"

Numerous NFL team owners, at least two of whom had contributed $1 million apiece to Trump's inaugural celebration in January, issued statements in support of the players' protest, not Trump's call to fire them, and some linked arms with their players on the field while the anthem was played.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Trump believes it is important to "support national pride in our country.... I know it's a priority for the president to always defend our flag, always defend the national anthem and certainly to support the men and women in uniform."
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