Nike, Inc.'s renewal of an endorsement deal with currently unsigned NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick has prompted the federal government to cancel an $80 million contract with the company, according to a website notorious for publishing fabricated news.
Last Line of Defense (LLOD) reported on 4 September 2018 that the Trump administration's action "sent the company stocks tumbling":
The Trump administration has quietly dealt a blow to Nike that has sent the company stocks tumbling. According to Housing, Clothing, and Utility Bill Director, Art Tubolls:
“HCUB has canceled it’s contract with Nike to provide footwear, outerwear and other sports apparel to any US athlete. Whether they compete at the Junior Olympic, National Championship, Olympic, or Special Olympic event, athletes wearing the American Flag are no longer to be associated with this hateful company.”
If you haven’t been watching, Nike has decided it hates America by backing the people who feel it necessary to disrespect dead veterans. They gave Colin Kaepernick a contract and he doesn’t even play football. That right there should be illegal. When the middle class of this country decides a person isn’t good enough, that’s final.
But although Nike's stock price did take a temporary hit in the wake of the Kaepernick deal, it had nothing to do with any actions taken by the Trump administration. MarketWatch.com reported that:
Nike's shares were down 2.6 percent, or $2.19, shaving about 15 points from the price-weighted Dow DJIA, -0.16 percent of which it is a component, after the sports-apparel giant unveiled a new 30th anniversary ad campaign that features Colin Kaepernick, the NFL quarterback who led player protests against racial injustice and police brutality during the national anthem. The move by Nike is being viewed as highly political and at odds with President Donald Trump's views.
Contrary to the LLOD report, the U.S. government does not (and did not) have a contract with Nike, Inc. to provide footwear to athletes. There is no "Housing, Clothing, and Utility Bill" agency in the federal government, nor is that nonexistent department headed by a director named "Art Tubolls" (a stock LLOD anagram of "Busta Troll").
Last Line of Defense is part of a network of websites devoted to publishing and promoting junk news articles about hot-button political topics under the guise of "satire." A disclaimer on the site states:
Everything on this website is fiction. It is not a lie and it is not fake news because it is not real. If you believe that it is real, you should have your head examined. Any similarities between this site’s pure fantasy and actual people, places and events are purely coincidental and all images should be considered altered and satirical. See above if you’re still having an issue with that satire thing.
A related story on the website falsely claims that Nike rescinded their endorsement deal with Kaepernick after the latter went on an "anti-white" tirade.