President Donald Trump briefly participated in and encouraged a tomahawk-chop-style chant at a Wednesday afternoon event in Marietta, Georgia, after calling former Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker and Braves executive Mike Plant onto the stage.
President Donald Trump encouraged a tomahawk-chop-style chant during a rally in Marietta, Georgia, on Wednesday afternoon, after inviting former Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker and Braves executive Mike Plant to join him on stage. (dailywire.com)
Video published by The Daily Wire showed Trump reacting to the crowd’s chant by telling attendees to continue despite objections he said others raise about the gesture. (dailywire.com)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, which also reported on the moment, said Trump performed the tomahawk chop as Plant and Snitker appeared on stage. (ajc.com)
The tomahawk chop has long been associated with the Braves fan base and has also drawn criticism from some Native American advocates and others who argue it promotes stereotypes and is culturally insensitive. (en.wikipedia.org)
Accounts of how the chant and gesture spread in Atlanta generally trace its adoption to the Braves’ 1991 season and link it to traditions at Florida State University, where a similar “war chant” became popular in the 1980s. Some histories credit the presence of former Florida State athlete Deion Sanders on the 1991 Braves and the team’s in-stadium music as factors in popularizing it. (sabr.org)
Plant’s role with the Braves organization is tied to its real estate and development arm; the Braves list him as President and CEO of the Braves Development Company. (mlb.com)