Picking a fight? WTF is wrong with you?
Trump is the President of the United States of America. The flag and national anthem of the country he represents is under attack by the NFL and has been for more than a year. It has grown like a cancer spreading to more teams and even down to the high school and junior levels. Kaepernick started it last November in response to the Michael Brown shooting. He is anti-cop and pro BLM.
Trump would be derelict in his duties if he did not speak out against anti-American protests sanctioned by the NFL. The idea that this is free speech is nonsense. The NFL doesn't allow allow all free speech, just speech that supports their leftist agenda. The overwhelming majority of Americans don't support these blatant attacks against the flag and the anthem. Trump is just stating the obvious.
This is just all political. We had Lebron James call Trump a "bum." The Golden State Warriors had already expressed their desire not to go to the WH thru Steve Kerr, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant. They made very nasty remarks about Trump. He withdrew the invitation. Is that picking a fight?
The President can walk and chew gum at the same time. He can focus on all the issues you mentioned as well as state his opinion of what is going on with the NFL.
I would prefer he focus on the important stuff. But that said, he is absolutely right.
Unlike Trump critics he can multitask bery well $10 bn worth of multitasking.
Geraghty a jerkweed neverTrumper. And az always totally wrong.
Trump only stated what all real Americans think about it.