Van Jones: It’s ‘beyond insulting’ for Trump to lecture us about patriotism

CNN host Van Jones said Tuesday it is “beyond insulting” for President Trump to lecture black people about patriotism.

“People in my family, people who look like me have put blood in the ground, have put martyrs in the dirt in this country to have it be liberty and justice for all,” Jones told CNN anchor Chris Cuomo. “[I]t is beyond insulting for people to lecture us about patriotism.”

“I am a ninth-generation American, Chris,” Jones said. “I am the first person in my family that was born with all my rights recognized by this government … I don’t need anybody to tell me what this flag means and what it represents.”

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Jones’s comments were in response to Trump’s decision to cancel the Philadelphia Eagles’ White House visit to honor their Super Bowl win earlier this year.

Trump canceled the event and replaced it with a “Celebration for America” after it became clear that just a handful of players would make the trip to the White House.

Trump blamed the fight over the controversy surrounding player protests of social justice issues during the national anthem, an issue he has repeatedly stoked.

“The Philadelphia Eagles are unable to come to the White House with their full team to be celebrated tomorrow,” Trump said in a statement on Monday. “They disagree with their president because he insists that they proudly stand for the national anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country.”

Jones later said that Trump’s comments showed an ignorance for African-Americans’ contributions to American history.

“There is a level of patronizing … from this White House and from others … that somehow African-Americans are ungrateful, that we somehow don’t know what this country is about,” Jones said.