Donald Trump made another appearance on Bill O’Reilly’s program The O’Reilly Factor on Wednesday, and the subject of Colin Kaepernick came up. O’Reilly brought up Kaepernick’s comments about America never being great for people of color. Trump was once an owner in the USFL, and while he helped run the league into the ground, it still gives him just enough football experience for O’Reilly to bring up whether or not Kaepernick should be cut.
O’Reilly pushed on it, but while Trump said he handle it differently than Jed York has, he would not specifically say he would cut Kaepernick. And it sounded like O’Reilly really wanted to hear Trump say he would cut Colin Kaepernick. Here’s a full transcript, and you can watch the video below.
Bill O’Reilly: All right, now I’m going to flip around. If you get elected, one of the things you are going to have to do to make America great again is restore respect for the country both overseas and here in America. You would agree with that, correct?
Donald Trump: I agree. 100 percent. I mean, 100 percent.
O’Reilly: Last night Colin Kaepernick said another bad thing about his country, we're going to play it later on. He said bad stuff about you. You did own a professional football team. What would you do with Collin Kaepernick?
Trump: Well, I don't know what he said about me. But I think what he's doing is disgraceful. Is he starting yet or is he still a second string quarterback?
O’Reilly: Second string. But what do you to him if you were the owner? What would you do?
Trump: He's making a tremendous amount of money. He's making a tremendous amount of money. He's leading the American dream. He's trying to make a point. But I don't think he’s making it the correct way. Personally, if it was me, I would not be happy if I were the team owner, and I don't think I'm going to tell you what I would do, but I’m telling you, I would take a different position.
O’Reilly: Would you fire him?
Trump: I wouldn't be happy. They are paying him all of this money. And I think what he is doing is very bad for the spirit of the country. At the same time, he has the right to protest and that's one of the beautiful things about the country.
O’Reilly: But does he have the right to protest on your dime? So you're the owner. It's your stadium. It's paying customers. It's your dime. This is right in your bailiwick. OK? So he's protesting on your dime, doing something that offends you. Would you take action again him?
Trump: I'll tell you. Offends me, it does. Especially since he's doing so well in terms of, economically and so many other ways. I guess he probably lost a starting position, because something happened to him. He went downhill fast. And, frankly, that's okay. But I would not be a happy camper. I'm not going to tell you what I'd do. But if I was in that position, I’d do a lot different.
O’Reilly: You are not going to tell me? That's unlike you though.
Trump: And you know what, Bill? If I’m in that position, I’d be a lot different than the way they’re treating him right now. That I can tell you.
O’Reilly: But it’s not like you to not tell me what you would do. You usually are…
Trump: Well, you know, let’s keep the headlines down to a minimum.