US President Donald Trump has defended the vice-president amid claims his walkout at an NFL game during national anthem protests was a stunt.
He tweeted: “The trip by @VP Pence was long planned. He is receiving great praise for leaving game after players showed such disrespect for country!”
Mike Pence left the stadium on Sunday as players refused to stand during the Star-Spangled Banner.
But critics described his counter-protest as “PR” at taxpayers’ expense.
Mr. Pence was attending a game in his home state of Indiana between the Indianapolis Colts and the San Francisco 49ers when several 49ers kneeled during the anthem before the game began.
According to BBC News, come Colts locked arms and wore black T-shirts with the words “Stand for equality, justice, unity, respect, dialogue, opportunity” on the back.
Pence said in a statement issued afterwards: “I left today’s Colts game because President Trump and I will not dignify any event that disrespects our soldiers, our Flag, or our National Anthem.”
The vice-president missed his team defeating San Francisco 26-23 in overtime.
