'The president is very much against kneeling in general.' White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany says Donald Trump STILL opposes protests against police brutality

President Trump has not had a change of heart on the 'kneeling movement,' press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Monday, despite polling showing that an uptick in Americans believe the treatment of black people by the police is a problem. 

'The president is very much against kneeling in general,' McEnany said during the press briefing.  'He's not a fan of the kneeling movement, he's made that very clear, particularly because he thinks it's disrespectful to our military as the kneeling originated as the kneeling during the national anthem.' 

During the 2016 National Football League season, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick first sat and then kneeled through the playing of the Star Spangled Banner over racial inequality, including police violence, in the United States.    

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White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany confirmed that President Trump was against the NFL's kneeling protests, explaining to reporters that the president wasn't a 'fan' because 'he thinks it's disrespectful to our military' 

President Trump brought up the issue in a Sunday tweet, again saying that kneeling represented 'disrespecting our Country & our Flag' 

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President Trump has long made the NFL protests a rallying point for his base. His press secretary on Monday couldn't say if he still believed that players should be fired for taking a knee during the playing of the 'Star Spangled Banner' 

Kayleigh McEnany says 'the President is very much against kneeling'

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For years, the president has made it a rallying point with his supporters - saying that the kneeling shows disrespect for the flag, which in turn disses those in military service.  

In September 2017, Trump held a rally in Alabama where he brought up NFL players kneeling. 

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San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee to protest racial inequality during the 2016 NFL season 

'Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, "Get that son of a b**** off the field right now. Out! He's fired. He's fired,"' Trump said at the rally. 

The next day he reiterated his point with a tweet. 

'If a player wants the privilege of making millions of dollars in the NFL,or other leagues, he or she should not be allowed to disrespect our Great American Flag (or Country) and should stand for the National Anthem,' Trump wrote. 'If not, YOU'RE FIRED. Find something else to do!' 

McEnany said Monday that she wasn't sure if the president still believed NFL players should be sacked for taking a knee. 

'I have no information on that and I have not talked to him about that,' she said. 

The president brought up the issue in a Sunday tweet aimed at NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. 

'Could it be even remotely possible that in Roger Goodell's rather interesting statement of peace and reconciliation, he was intimating that it would be O.K. for the players to kneel, or not to stand, for the National Anthem, thereby disrespecting our Country & our Flag,' Trump mused. 

After several previous attempts, Goodell put out a statement Friday and apologized to black players for not taking their concerns more seriously.    

'We, the National Football League, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier, and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest,' Goodell wrote.  

In May 2018, the NFL had announced that it planned to fine teams when players too a knee during the playing of the national anthem. 

In September 2018, the NFL announced that that wouldn't happen after all.  

Some have questioned why Trump wouldn't prefer the peaceful act of kneeling to some of the more violent and destructive ways Americans have showed rage over the death of Floyd, as he's voiced extreme criticism over the rioting and looting that has taken place alongside peaceful protests.