“Good Morning America” host Michael Strahan has come under fire after a recent incident in which he was accused of disrespecting the national anthem during a pregame event meant to honor those who have served the country ahead of Veteran’s Day. The special segment is a Fox Sports tradition intended to celebrate the military service of those who have dedicated their lives to protecting the United States.
Over the weekend, Fox NFL Sunday hosted its broadcast on Naval Base San Diego where a naval band played the national anthem. As the Star Spangled Banner played, the servicemen and women aboard the vessel could be seen in a patriotic salute. Meanwhile, the Fox Sports co-hosts placed their hands over the hearts, as is customary during the playing of the anthem. However, Strahan refrained from this gesture, crossing his hands in front of him and could be seen moving around.
Subsequently, the former NFL and TV personality has received immense backlash from social media users who feel he disrespected the national anthem. “Michael Strahan disrespected the military during a Veterans Day pre-game show on @NFLonFOX. The great irony is Strahan on a ship surrounded by men and women who would willingly sacrifice their lives to protect his freedom. So, his behavior is not just repugnant, it’s downright cowardly,” NewsMax host Todd Starnes wrote on X.
However, some have defended Strahan, believing the controversy is overblown. “Michael Strahan’s dad served in the Army for 23 years. He grew up on a US Army base in Germany and has given a ton of money to veteran charities. He’s standing quietly at attention. We need to stop getting so upset at every little thing,” commentator Joe Pompliano said.
Regardless, some veterans on social media provided their perspective on the matter, maintaining it was disrespectful. “I’m a career Army (Abn) Infantry Veteran. I wouldn’t have expected anything less from Michael Strahan. I know this because I understand he’d NEVER EVER consider deploying to a Hostile Fire Area for something greater than himself,” one veteran wrote.
“Also Strahan takes his “Freedom” for granted he is a great example of Great Ronald Reagan speech “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”,” another person said, quoting former President Ronald Regan.
“I was a Naval Officer and fighter pilot for 30 years. I defended Strahan’s freedom of speech. His total disrespect of my nation and fellow veterans has earned my boycott of anything that provides him a platform to speak,” one user said, suggesting they would boycott Strahan’s platforms. Watch the incident on the Naval ship below:
Other users emphasized that Strahan must get ahead of the controversy and issue an apology and clarifying statement. “Strahan must explain what he was doing here and issue an apology or I will never watch your pre game coverage ever again. Absolutely disgraceful to disrespect our veterans on veterans day. He must be fired if he does not apologize,” they said.
Note: The featured image is a screenshot from the embedded video.
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