President Trump used the occasion of the Super Bowl between the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles to send a message to the military and about standing during the playing of the national anthem.

“As many Americans come together to watch the Super Bowl, Melania and I extend our greetings and appreciation for those who make occasions like this possible, particularly the brave men and women of our Armed Forces,” he said in the statement released by the White House.

“Though many of our Nation’s service members are unable to be home with family and friends to enjoy this evening’s American tradition, they are always in our thoughts and prayers.

Trump used the anthem debate to help energize his base and continued to attack the NFL, sounding a theme he first raised during the 2016 campaign as the focus of the protests became redirected toward the military rather than the players’ target — injustice.

He raged on Twitter, chiding Commissioner Roger Goodell to crack down on the “total disrespect” and mocking the league for “boring games” that led to ratings being “way down.” Over the weekend after his Alabama speech, as Hurricane Maria ravaged Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, Trump did not say a public word about the storm but posted 11 tweets about the NFL anthem controversy.