The tribute comes amid worldwide protests against racial injustice following the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25.
Trump, who has frequently railed against the decision by NFL players to kneel during the anthem, acknowledged in the interview that the company had "certain freedoms to do things that other people think you shouldn't do."
Speaking to reporters in her home state of California, Rapinoe said she had known for about a year that this would be the point at which she would be ready to retire.
There was some jeering from a small section as players briefly went down on one knee,
Shares in the Beaverton, Oregon-based Nike Inc fell more than 2 percent after Kaepernick posted a black-and-white close-up of himself on Instagram on Monday featuring the Nike logo and "Just do it" slogan.
The protest movement sparked by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in 2016 has picked up steam, extending beyond the NFL, in the aftermath of the June death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis.
LeBron James was among a number of high-profile athletes who took to social media to speak out on the death of an unarmed black man seen in a video lying face down in the street while a white police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes. Four Minneapolis police officers were fired on Tuesday over Monday's incident in which a handcuffed George Floyd can be heard repeatedly moaning and gasping while he pleads, "Please, I can't breathe, please, man."
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Thursday
Bach warns athletes against 'political demonstrations' on podiums
Social media applauded the team for their excellent efforts, appreciating the mind behind the eye-relaxing visuals.
United States President Donald Trump has said he will not watch National Football League (NFL) or US soccer team matches if players do not stand for the national anthem. The US Soccer Federation last week said it had dropped its requirement that players stand during the anthem, saying the policy was wrong and detracted from the Black Lives Matter movement.
Rapinoe was one of the first American athletes to join former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick's protest against police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem.
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James were among seven sports figures named to Time Magazine's annual list of the world's most influential people, which was announced Thursday.
Trump, without offering evidence, said in a post on Twitter that the sportswear company was "getting absolutely killed with anger and boycotts."
'He's done a lot for the African American community, and it's cost him a lot. It's sad' 'To be compared to Ali or Jordan, I really have no words'
Television images showed six drivers standing behind the 14 who knelt, including Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.
he International Olympic Committee (IOC) has confirmed that athletes are still banned from protesting at the Olympic Games after several sports moved to allow protests in the wake of George Floyd's death in police custody. Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter states "no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas." Athletes who breach the rule are subject to discipline on a case-by-case basis and the IOC issued guidelines in January clarifying that banned protests include taking a knee and other gestures.
The US women's national team has called on the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) to repeal a policy forbidding players from kneeling during the national anthem and issue an apology to black players and fans. The USSF will hold a special meeting on Tuesday to consider scrapping the rule, which requires players to "stand respectfully during the playing of national anthems at any event in which the Federation is represented".
LA Lakers confident ahead of NBA season.
President Donald Trump and the sports world engaged in an intensifying spat on Saturday after he called for National Football League owners to fire players who protest during the U.S. national anthem and disinvited a National Basketball Association star from a White House visit.
The 35-year-old recently took part in a 'Black Lives Matter' march in London but said he was supporting racial equality rather than taking any political stance.
The players, led by Quinton de Kock, raised their firsts after singing the South African national anthem
England were booed by some of their fans in two friendlies while Ireland were jeered in Hungary for kneeling before kickoff
The Football Association said fans who exhibited such "disgusting behaviour" were not welcome and urged the authorities to hand out "the toughest punishments possible".
Maroon 5 threw just about everything at the Super Bowl halftime show: a gospel choir, a drumline, pyrotechnics, a giant letter "M" and even SpongeBob.
Naomi Osaka has faced a backlash on social media after throwing her support behind the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests in the wake of the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died in police custody on May 25.
President Donald Trump on Saturday tweeted that it was "very important" that players stand during the national anthem, following an ongoing controversy over athletes and others kneeling in protest.
NFL players, owners defy Trump on anthem protests as feud ramps up
Trump ramped up his fight with the National Football League on Tuesday, calling on the popular league to ban players from kneeling in protest at games while the US national anthem is played.
National Football League will fine teams if players on the field refuse to stand for the national anthem
United States President Trump has been nominated along side his arch nemesis dictator Kim Jong-un.
The squads of both teams took part in the pre-game show of support for civil rights activists denouncing last Sunday's shooting death of Stephon Clark and the killing of numerous other African-Americans at the hands of law enforcement in recent years.
Black Lives Matter was stenciled onto NFL fields and NBA courts. Athletes raised fists and took the knee.
Eintracht Frankfurt changed their team shirt to display "#blacklivesmatter" on the front for their German Cup semi-final at Bayern Munich on Wednesday to take a stand against racism, the club said. Athletes across the world have joined in support of protests triggered by the death of unarmed black man George Floyd in US police custody last month.
Houston Texans team knelt in protest as the national anthem was played for Sunday's game in Seattle, an apparent rebuke of team owner Bob McNair for his remark about "inmates running the prison."
Irrepressible Ibrahimovic scores twice as Milan win opener
Toronto FC's Justin Morrow, executive director of the Black Players for Change organization, said MLS players wanted to add their voices to the movement.
Some of the big moments of the sporting world from 2010-2019!
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Friday
'When there are people who hate brands, it shows they are standing for something.' 'If you are trying to be everything to all people, you are failing.' 'Brands should be brave enough and take more stands on issues.'
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