J’cans tell Trump to leave Bolt out of anthem feud
KINGSTON, Jamaica — US President Donald Trump’s attempt to commingle sprint legend Usain Bolt in his tiff with NFL protesters has been met with scathing responses from Jamaicans on Twitter.
“Please leave the Boss out of your politricks,” tweeted @JamaicaOlympics in response to Trump’s post of a 2012 video showing Bolt cutting an interview so he could stand in silence for the US national anthem.
“Even Usain Bolt from Jamaica, one of the greatest runners and athletes of all time, showed RESPECT for our National Anthem,” the US president tweeted.
Read: Trump uses Usain Bolt in anthem war
The tweet is just one of the tactics being employed by Trump in the scrimmage between him and NFL players who are using the national anthem as a vehicle for social protest.
Even though Bolt has not responded to the tweet, one user, sharing the sentiment of many others, said he “has every right to comment. The man literally used his image to support a very controversial point.”
“My yute bring Usain inna it. Him wicked fi true”, said another.
“Trump got the nerve to bring Jamaica/Usain Bolt into this, he just messed up! Gwan go sit one side yuh chat too much”, added another.
One user has since contended, “I think it was more directed at the fact that Usain isn’t from America and he respects the National Anthem.”
Trump’s tirade against NFL players, who declined to stand for the anthem in a bid to draw attention to racial injustice, has sparked an unprecedented wave of protest across the league.