Former NFL star Herschel Walker has renewed his support for President Donald Trump, claiming he was “the best guy to run this country” and dismissing the suggestions the president was a racist.
The two-time Pro Bowl selection has never been reluctant to throw his weight behind the president and with less than two weeks until the presidential election on November 3, Walker said Trump had been misrepresented by the media.
“It’s sad, and that’s the reason why I got involved. I want America to know the truth. Donald Trump is not a racist,” the 1982 Heisman Trophy winner told former FOX Sports host Clay Travis on OutKick, a newly launched website focusing on politics and sports.
“It’s tough because we have become so political today, and the worst thing that you can say to someone today is that ‘he’s a racist.’ They take bits and parts of a speech and they try to make him a racist, and that’s what’s very, very sad to me and the reason I got involved.”
Trump has repeatedly been criticized for his failure to condemn far-right groups such as the Proud Boys or self-proclaimed vigilantes, such as Kyle Rittenhouse, the teenager who fatally shot two people as he opened fire on protesters who were demanding justice following the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Conversely, the president has been an outspoken critic of NFL, NBA and MLB players kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racism, suggesting they were all disrespecting the flag.
Trump has previously urged NFL owners to fire players who take a knee during the anthem and criticized league commissioner Roger Goodell for encouraging players to “protest peacefully” as demonstrations swept across the U.S. earlier this year following the death of George Floyd.
The president also suggested the NBA’s TV ratings declined following the league’s decision to support the Black Lives Matter movement. The NBA displayed the BLM logo on courts in Orlando, Florida, and allowed players to wear social justice messages on their jerseys during games. NBA commissioner Adam Silver has repeatedly made clear the league supported the movement’s broader values, rather than the organization directly.
Walker, however, insisted Trump’s comments had been misinterpreted.
“I didn’t get involved because I wanted to be in politics, it’s just somebody was saying something about a friend that I know very well that I know is not true,” he continued.
“If I were to not get involved I thought it would have been an injustice to America. This guy is not a racist, he’s the best guy right now to run this country.
“He’s the best guy to be the leader for this country, and I wanted people to know the truth. I’m not getting paid, and I’m not getting anything from it, I just love America and want America to know the truth.”
The friendship between Walker and Trump dates back to the 1980s, when the latter owned the New Jersey Generals in the now-defunct USFL. Walker signed for the Generals in 1983 after his junior year at Georgia, just months before Trump purchased the franchise from J. Walter Duncan.
The interview with Travis isn’t the first time Walker has stood behind his former employer. Speaking to NBC Sports Radio in ahead of the 2016 presidential election, Walker dismissed the accusations of racism aimed at Trump.
“I’ve seen [Trump] around people, I don’t know where he says those outlandish, crazy things,” Walker said.
“And people say that he’s racist. But I’ve never seen anything that [made me] consider Donald is a racist. Because of the things—he’s said those outlandish things about building a wall—that doesn’t mean you’re racist when you say things like that.”
Speaking at the Republican National Convention in August, Walker reiterated the message and defended the president’s stance on players kneeling during the national anthem.
“Just because someone loves and respects the flag, our national anthem, and our country doesn’t mean they don’t care about social justice,” he said.
“I care about all of those things, and so does Donald Trump. He shows how much he cares about social justice and the Black community through his actions. And his actions speak louder than any stickers or slogans on a jersey.”
Oliver Contreras-Pool/Getty
