Trump muses about drafting Bill Belichick for military advice: He'd 'be as good as any general out there'

• President Donald Trump on Tuesday mused about tapping New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick for a military battle.
• "You know, if I ever had a military battle, I'd call up Belichick and say, 'What do you think. What do you think? Give me a couple of ideas,'" Trump said, adding that the coach would "be as good as any general out there."
• Trump has touted his warm relationship with Belichick in the past.
• Belichick congratulated Trump in a glowing letter after the 2016 presidential election, saying the business mogul ran "a tremendous campaign."

President Donald Trump on Tuesday mused about tapping New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick for advice during a military battle, given the coach's success with the football franchise and their friendship.

"Belichick is an incredible coach, and I think he's going to do very well" in the upcoming season, Trump said in an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt. "This guy just knows how to win. And he's a very good friend of mine. He's a winner."

Trump went on to praise both Belichick and former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who left to sign on with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earlier this year.

"You know, if I ever had a military battle, I'd call up Belichick and say, 'What do you think. What do you think? Give me a couple of ideas,'" Trump said, adding that the coach would "be as good as any general out there."

Trump has touted his warm relationship with the coach in the past. Belichick congratulated Trump in a glowing letter after the 2016 presidential election, saying the business mogul ran "a tremendous campaign."

"You have dealt with an unbelievable slanted and negative media, and have come out beautifully — beautifully," Belichick wrote, according to NBC Sports. "You've proved to be the ultimate competitor and fighter. Your leadership is amazing."

"I have always had tremendous respect for you, but the toughness and perseverance you have displayed over the past year is remarkable," Belichick added.

Belichick and the Patriots visited the White House in 2019, after the previous year's Super Bowl win.

The relationship between the two leaders reportedly caused a rift in the team, with one former player telling NBC Sports that Belichick's actions were hypocritical.

"He told the players not to get into the election or debate with the media because it would become a distraction," the former player said. "So we listened, but when we he endorsed Trump, a lot of people were upset. He tried to say he didn't endorse him and that he was just writing a friend a letter but we all knew what that letter meant."

During the Tuesday interview, Trump referred to the protests against police brutality and added that he would not watch any NFL games "if people don't stand for the national anthem."

"If they kneel, I don't watch, including the Super Bowl," Trump said.

Like other professional sports leagues, the NFL has struggled to adjust to coronavirus restrictions. Some games are expected to be played without fans due to state regulations. The NFL already canceled this year's preseason games.