President Donald Trump extended an offer to the men and women of American sports leagues, asking for recommendations of people deserving a pardon. It is Trump’s latest response to the protests of league players, particularly in the NFL.
Starting with then-NFL player Colin Kaepernick in 2016, some players went on to kneel in protest before games while the anthem was playing. An often cited argument for the protests was a perception that people from minority groups are mistreated by the justice system.