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President Trump releases petition requesting support on standing during the national anthem

The movement started last season when then-San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee. 
K'Waun Williams #24, Arik Armstead #91 and Eli Harold #57 of the San Francisco 49ers kneel while holding their hands over their chest during the national anthem before playing against the Washington Redskins at FedExField on October 15, 2017.

In another step to try to keep pressure on the NFL for not disciplining players who are choosing to protest during the national anthem, President Trump and Vice President Pence released a petition asking for supporters' signatures.

The Trump Make America Great Again Committee posted a petition Thursday on the GOP web site asking for signatures from supporters who believe in standing for The Star-Spangled Banner ''to show your patriotism and support," first reported by The New York Daily News.

The petition comes one day after NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, the NFL Players Association, team owners and players met for two days in New York City to discuss, among other things, how to handle the anthem moving forward and enact social change on a national level.

The movement started last season when then-San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee. When Kaepernick knelt during the anthem, he did so to draw attention to racial inequality and police brutality.

After the fall meetings, Goodell reiterated the league wants its players to stand during the anthem. However, no rule to do so will be mandated, nor punishments given to those who do not.

“We just had two days of conversations with our owners of which this was a fair amount of the conversation and I think our clubs all see this the same way,” Goodell said Wednesday. “We want our players to stand. We’re going to continue to encourage them to stand. And we’re going to continue to work on these issues within the community.

"I can’t deal with hypotheticals right now. We’ll deal with these issues as they come up, but for right now, that’s our focus.”

Trump tweeted in response:

"The NFL has decided that it will not force players to stand for the playing of our National Anthem. Total disrespect for our great country!"

And later Wednesday:

"@NFL: Too much talk, not enough action. Stand for the National Anthem."

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