Laura Ingraham says her family won’t wear Nike again after ‘Betsy Ross flag’ sneaker canceled

Fox News host Laura Ingraham on Monday said her family would stop wearing Nike sneakers in light of the company’s move to cancel the release of the “Betsy Ross flag” shoe following pushback from those who found the design offensive. 

“No more @nike sneakers for our family,” Ingraham tweeted. 

No more @nike sneakers for our family. “Nike Nixes ‘Betsy Ross Flag’ Sneaker After Colin Kaepernick Intervenes” https://t.co/4Dca4J5bmA

— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) July 2, 2019

The comments from Ingraham came as several Republican elected officials voiced outrage over Nike’s decision to cancel the release of a shoe featuring a Revolutionary War-era flag design. 

GOP Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas) on Tuesday also vowed to never wear Nike products again, suggesting he’d rather buy shoes from a company that’s “not so woke.”

Yep, I own lots of @Nike I’ve been a life-long customer, since I was kid. But they’ve now decided their shoes represent snide disdain for the American flag. Since they don’t want my business anymore, I won’t buy any more. Can anyone recommend a good sneaker co that’s not so woke? https://t.co/XQfO9Dh737

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) July 2, 2019

{mosads}Nike had been planning to release the Air Max 1 USA featuring the “Betsy Ross flag” design this week, according to The Wall Street Journal. But the company called off those plans after former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick reached out and voiced issues with the design. 

Kaepernick, who is sponsored by Nike, said the early American flag was an offensive symbol connected to an era of slavery, the Journal reported. 

In response, Nike asked retailers to return the product. 

“Nike has chosen not to release the Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of July as it featured the old version of the American flag,” a Nike spokeswoman told the Journal.

The decision was met with swift criticism from GOP officials. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) said Nike’s move amounted to bowing “to the current onslaught of political correctness and historical revisionism.”

He also announced that he would ask the state’s chamber of commerce to pull financial incentives for Nike. He said the company was getting ready to make a “major” investment in Goodyear, Ariz.

Nike did not immediately return a request for comment from The Hill. 

“It’s a good thing @Nike only wants to sell sneakers to people who hate the American flag,” Cruz tweeted Monday.

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) echoed Cruz sentiments, calling Nike “anti-American.”

“Betsy Ross was a leader who put herself into a history dominated by men, to make a statement of FREEDOM – and that should not be twisted by #Nike or anyone else,” Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) tweeted. 

Kaepernick in 2016 became the first NFL player to kneel during the national anthem to protest racial injustice and police brutality. Many NFL players have participated in the demonstration since then.

The former NFL quarterback was the face of a Nike “Just Do It” ad campaign that was released in September.