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Ex-NFL star and registered sex offender Lawrence Taylor was tapped for President Donald Trump's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, and he admitted, "I don't know why."
On Thursday (July 31), Trump welcomed Taylor, a Hall of Fame linebacker for the New York Giants, to the White House for his event promoting youth fitness. Trump signed an executive order that reestablished the Presidential Fitness Test for American children and relaunched the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.
Taylor attended the event and was tapped to serve as a member of the fitness council alongside golfer Bryson DeChambeau and Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker.
Introducing Taylor, Trump said, “Acknowledged to be the greatest defensive player in the history of the NFL, a friend of mine for a long time. Too long, right Lawrence? Lawrence Taylor, he’s an incredible guy and just been my friend a long time. Knew him forever.”
The ex-NFLer then spoke at the podium, admitting that he doesn't understand his role on the council, but is "here to serve" Trump.
“I’m just proud to be on this team. I don’t know why, I don’t know what we’re supposed to be doing, but I’m here to serve and I’m here to serve you,” Taylor said during the event. “So I’m going to do the best I can for as long as I can.”
Media personality and podcaster Van Lathan called out Taylor over the White House appearance.
"This is the worst era of OGs I can remember…" Lathan said of the former defensive star.
Trump also faced backlash for inviting Taylor, who pleaded guilty in 2011 to misdemeanor charges of sexual misconduct and patronizing a 16-year-old prostitute, to the White House event centered around youth fitness.
"Why is the media not talking about the fact that Trump named a REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER Lawrence Taylor, who sexually assaulted a 16-year-old child, to lead a sports initiative for CHILDREN? Why does Trump hang out with so many child predators?" one tweet reads.
"He's not even hiding that fact that he's okay hanging out with sexual predators that target underage girls," another says.
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