This archive report was first published on 10 June 2020.
On June 10, 2020, a wave of protests swept across the United States and the world in response to the death of George Floyd, an African American man who died at the hands of a white police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Weston McKennie, a 21-year-old US international and midfielder for Schalke, spoke out against US President Donald Trump's response to the crisis, calling him a racist in an interview with German magazine Sport Bild.
'In my eyes, he can be called racist,' McKennie said.
McKennie also expressed his disapproval of Trump's handling of the protests, stating that he doesn't think the president understands his responsibility to the entire country.
'I don't think he's the right man for the job of president,' McKennie said.
McKennie's comments come as the US president has adopted a tough approach to putting down the protests in US cities, voicing his support for the police at a round table on law enforcement at the White House.
McKennie, who was born in Texas, showed his support for the Black Lives Matter movement by wearing an armband demanding 'Justice for George' in Schalke's first league game following Floyd's death.
He was not alone in his stance, as French player Marcus Thuram and England international Jadon Sancho also called for justice for Floyd after scoring goals in the Bundesliga.
McKennie emphasized the importance of athletes using their platform to draw attention to the Black Lives Matter movement, stating that it's up to all of them to fight against racism.
