Kaepernick was subjected to widespread criticism for his actions from fans and other public figures. Even president Donald Trump criticized Kaepernick with a tweet in which he wrote, "Maybe he should find a country that works better for him. After Kaepernick started receiving criticism in the national press, many other athletes engaged in sympathetic protests. like Eric Reid of the 49ers, Brandon Marshall of the Denver Broncos and more. Kaepernick's silent protest went unnoticed for several games before journalists noticed the gesture and asked Kaepernick why he had chosen not to stand. Kaepernick explained that he chose to kneel, rather than sitting, to show respect for members of the armed services while using the anthem to symbolically protest racial injustice.