Right-wing US news anchor rooted for America to lose in the Olympics

Newsmax host Grant Stinchfield criticized the involvement of American sports stars in “social justice nonsense” as he celebrated the defeat of the US men’s basketball and women’s soccer teams.

On Monday, Stinchfield spoke in his segment titled “The Woke Olympics,” the conservative host said that he was happy to “root” against US Olympic teams during the Tokyo games.

“It’s not often that I’m happy a US team loses in the Olympics,” Stinchfield began. “But I found myself rooting against Megan Rapinoe and her merry band of America-hating female soccer players; they lost one game.”

The US women’s soccer team lost to Sweden 3-0 in the opener. It was the team’s first loss since January 2019.

After talking about the women’s soccer team, Stinchfiel switched gears to talk about men’s basketball, noting that he “took pleasure,” in their loss against France 83-76.

”The collection of whiny, overpaid social justice warriors are very hard to root for. The team is filled with anthem kneelers, and I find it ironic [that] they are willing to put [the] USA across their chest,” he said.

Then he added the following: “Somebody ought to go up to them and rip [the] USA off their chest. I don’t want ‘em wearing it, personally.”

People on Twitter thought Stinchfield’s rant was a “disgrace.”

“Just disgraceful @newsmax. Gone too far. You’re encouraging this country to rip itself apart. Why? Because some people are pushing for a more perfect union and somehow others find that threatening? They do because YOU and @FoxNews tell them to. Cc @CivilRights,” someone wrote.

“’I’m so American, I root against Americans in the Olympics,’” another mocked.

Many NBA teams have chosen to take a knee during the playing of the US national anthem in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.

Prior to their game against Sweden last week, all of the US women’s soccer team knelt for 10 seconds in protest of racial injustice. Before their soccer matches, teams from other countries have also knelt before their matches.

President Donald Trump blamed the loss on “wokeism”—his spin on the term woke, which refers to an awareness of racial prejudice and discrimination.

Right-wing media personalities and politicians have targeted US athletes for their political views, which they view as unpatriotic.

Gwen Berry, the track and field hammer thrower, turned away from the American flag as “The Star-Spangled Banner” played at the Olympic trials in June. She faced debates about activism.