Trump: I fixed NFL’s Super Bowl problem in ‘two minutes’

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President Trump defends Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh during Minnesota rally.

WASHINGTON – President Trump boasted at a rally Thursday about fixing a Super Bowl problem for the NFL in a matter of “two minutes,” but lamented the football players will still despise him.

During the event in Minnesota, Trump said his new trade pact got Canada to change its policy on Super Bowl commercials that had been a “big, big problem” for the NFL.

“During the negotiation, I said ‘you got to fix the NFL problem,’” Trump said of his trade talks with Canada. “It took me two minutes and now the NFL is so happy it’s all worked out.

“And now our country will be taking tens of millions of dollars more money,” Trump continued. “A lot of it is going to go to the players and they’ll still hate me, can you believe that!?”

“And now our country will be taking tens of millions of dollars more money. A lot of it is going to go to the players and they’ll still hate me, can you believe that!?”

— President Trump

Trump has long tussled with football players for kneeling during the national anthem. Despite his grievances, Trump said he wanted to help the NFL because “it’s an American company. It’s a great American company.”

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Trump said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell called to thank him for the new provision of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which will replace the NAFTA trade deal.

Trump said he also got thanks from New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft. The president went on to praise Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and hailed Bill Belichick as “the greatest coach in football,” which didn’t generate applause from the Minnesota fans.

The new trade deal could mean more money for the NFL for its Super Bowl broadcasting rights in Canada. The agreement would lift a policy that forced Canadian television to air American and not Canadian commercials during the Super Bowl.