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Michael Strahan was recently critiqued for not placing his hand over his heart during the national anthem, but his reaction to a reporter amid the drama is making headlines today.
In a video obtained by the Daily Mail, the 52-year-old Good Morning America co-host snatched the device when he saw the journalist waiting outside of his New York City home on Tuesday, November 13.
"Don't come to my house, man!" Strahan yelled as he grabbed the phone and tossed it into a nearby bush.
Later that day, the NFL star-turned-beloved TV host addressed both the national anthem controversy and his behavior toward the reporter in order to set the record straight.
"I wanna address what happened this past weekend, and I feel like I need to address it because it spilled over to the point where I'd get out of my car today, and I'm ambushed by a media outlet here at my house," he said in an Instagram video.
Admitting regret over his reaction, Strahan shared, "I'm not proud of the way I handled that whole situation," but he emphasized his protective instincts were in play. "You gotta protect your family, and you gotta protect your home, which is what I felt like I needed to do in that moment," he explained.
The controversy began during the Sunday, November 10 Fox NFL Sunday broadcast in San Diego on Veterans Day. Surrounded by Navy service members, the former football star stood out for not placing his hand over his heart during the anthem, which quickly sparked backlash.
"Everyone thought, 'He's protesting, he's making a statement,' which is so far from the truth, I have nothing to protest," Strahan clarified. He expressed his deep respect for the military, adding, "The only statement that should be made and that I wanna make is that I love the military."
Reflecting on the moment, the retired athlete revealed he was simply overwhelmed by the significance of the young sailors' commitment. "I'm looking at all these young sailors... and I'm thinking to myself, 'How incredible? How incredible to be that young and to know that you wanna do this?'" he shared. Caught up in the moment, he missed the cue to place his hand over his heart.
Strahan extended an apology to any offended military members and veterans, stressing, "I'm a product of the military, a proud lover of the military and a proud lover of all those who served before now and who will serve in the future."
Saw the video Strahan put out addressing this and I will take him at his word and believe what he said.
— Terrence Hogan (@hoganter1) November 13, 2024Despite his public apology, the incident sparked a flurry of reactions. While his Instagram comments were turned off, X (formerly Twitter) became a battlefield of opinions. Critics blasted his actions as disrespectful, with one user writing, "We do NOT accept your apology - you KNEW what you were doing - I hope they keep ambushing you!" Others, however, accepted his apology, with comments like, "Saw the video Strahan put out addressing this and I will take him at his word and believe what he said."
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