President Donald Trump says he'd have 'hard time' letting son play football
PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) â President Donald Trump wouldnât steer son Barron toward football, saying itâs âa dangerous sportâ and he "would have a hard time with it," but also wouldnât stand in the way if the soccer-playing 12-year-old wanted to put on pads.
The NFL fan told CBSâ âFace the Nationâ in an interview taped before the Super Bowl that football is âreally tough.â
"I've heard NFL players saying they wouldn't let their sons play football. So. It's not totally unique, but I would have a hard time with it," Trump said.
He said equipment, including helmets, has improved âbut it hasnât solved the problem.â
Trump believes the NFL âis a great product.â But as for Barron playing, the president called it a âvery tough question.â
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âIf he wanted to? Yes. Would I steer him that way? No, I wouldnât.â
Trump has, in the past, bemoaned that football games have become less violent. The NFL and college football have increased penalties and enforcement for illegal hits to the head and for hitting defenseless players.
âTheyâre ruining the game,â he said during a rally in Alabama in September 2017.
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He said players were being thrown out for aggressive tackles, and itâs ânot the same game.â
The NFL announced in late January that reported player concussions were down 29 percent in 2018 from the previous year. The league said there were 135 documented concussions in that span, compared to 190 in 2017.
President Barack Obama, the father of two daughters, said in a 2013 interview with the New Republic that he would âhave to think long and hardâ before letting a son, if he had one, play football because of the risk of head injuries.
Obama also said football may need to change to prevent injuries.
Contributing: USA TODAY Sports' Lorenzo Reyes