Women’s World Cup 2019: President Donald Trump says USWNT star Megan Rapinoe’s national anthem protest is wrong

Rapinoe, who describes herself as a ‘walking protest’, has so far refused to sing ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’

US President Donald Trump insists it is not appropriate for the Megan Rapinoe to protest during the national anthem at the Women’s World Cup.

The co-captain for the United States Women’s National Team, who has previously knelt during ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’, has so far refused to sing or put her hand over her heart in France.

Rapinoe has three goals so far, including a double in the last 16 victory over Spain to send the USWNT into the quarter-finals against hosts France.

But Trump immediately disagreed when asked whether her actions before kick-off during the national anthem were appropriate.

“No, I don’t think so,” he said in an interview with The Hill.

Trump did add he loves to watch women’s soccer and praised their talent, but refused to be drawn on whether the women’s game deserves equal pay.

“I think a lot of it also has to do with the economics,” Trump added. “I mean who draws more, where is the money coming in.

Megan Rapinoe celebrates scoring USA’s match-winning second goal (Reuters)

“I know that when you have the great stars like [Portugal’s Cristiano] Ronaldo and some of these stars… that get paid a lot of money, but they draw hundreds of thousands of people.

“But I haven’t taken a position on that at all. I’d have to look at it.”

Rapinoe’s protests have been fuelled by US Soccer’s lack of support and the federation’s call to make players “stand and honour the flag” like the NFL.

President Trump disagrees with Rapinoe (Getty) (Getty Images)

“Using this blanketed patriotism as a defense against what the protest actually is was pretty cowardly. I think the NFL does it,” she told Yahoo Sports.

“I felt like the statement from U.S. Soccer, and then the rule they made without ever talking to me, that was the same as what the NFL was doing – just to not have the conversation, to try to just stop me from doing what I’m doing instead of at least having a conversation, and trying to figure out a [solution] that makes sense for everyone.”