In a Sept. 13 interview with NewsMax TV, U.S. Rep. Steve King of Iowa dismisses Colin Kaepernick’s national anthem protest and tries to connect him to ISIL.
Many have suspected a possible conversion after Kaepernick announced that he was dating radio and television host Nessa Diab.
However, the San Francisco QB told USA Today earlier this month that he has not converted to Islam.
“I have great respect for the religion, know a lot of people that are Muslim and are phenomenal people,” Kaepernick said, according to USA Today‘s Josh Peter. “But I think that [rumor of conversion] comes along with people’s fear of this protest, as well as Islamophobia in this country.”
Nevertheless, King still believes the QB is a terrorist threat.
“I think Colin Kaepernick is representing the San Francisco 49ers when he puts on that uniform,” King starts. “When he steps out on the stage, the world stage, he’s taking advantage of that. And he’s undermining patriotism. I understand that he has an Islamic girlfriend that is his fiancee. That this has changed him and has taken on some different political views along the way. This is activism that’s sympathetic to ISIS.”
After slamming Kaepernick’s protest, King believes he should “take a knee and beg for forgiveness from the American people.”
