Washington Commanders football player Jonathan Allen apologized on February 9 for tweeting that he’d like to have dinner with Adolf Hitler.
Allen, who plays defensive tackle, was having an “ask me anything” session on Twitter and someone asked him which three people he would have dinner if it could be anyone. “My grandad, hitler and michael Jackson,” Allen replied. After being asked why he chose Hitler, Allen elaborated: “He’s a military genius and I love military tactics but honestly I would want to pick his brain as to why he did what he did. I’m also assuming the people I’ve chosen have to answer all my questions correctly.” The tweets have since been deleted.
Eric Nathan, also known as “Barstool Nate,” tweeted: “I’m uhhhh pretty sure Hitler has been pretty open about his motives… what in the world.” He added in a later tweet: “I can’t get over [Allen’s] Grandad being so excited to go to dinner and he walks in and sees Hitler.”
I'm uhhhh pretty sure Hitler has been pretty open about his motives jfc "want to pick his brain" what in the world pic.twitter.com/Dx43Bb83sz
— Eric Nathan (@BarstoolNate) February 9, 2022
I can't get over Grandad being so excited to go to dinner and he walks in and sees Hitler. https://t.co/1C1Z0eMPmH
— Eric Nathan (@BarstoolNate) February 9, 2022
Stop Antisemitism tweeted, “First Whoopi Goldberg’s vile rant about the Holocaust and now NFL player [Jonathan Allen] wants to have dinner with Hitler because he’s ‘a military genius’?! Hitler gassed, starved and murdered MILLIONS of people in his pursuit of the master race you dolt!”
First Whoopi Goldberg’s vile rant about the Holocaust and now NFL player @jonallen93_ wants to have dinner with Hitler because he’s “a military genius”?!
Hitler gassed, starved and murdered MILLIONS of people in his pursuit of the master race you dolt! pic.twitter.com/enjkV5FxBH
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) February 9, 2022
Allen’s apology tweet stated: “[Earlier] I tweeted something that probably hurt people and I apologize about what I said. I didn’t express properly what I was trying to say and I realize it was dumb!”
Early I tweeted something that probably hurt people and I apologize about what I said. I didn’t express properly what I was trying to say and I realize it was dumb!
— Jonathan Allen (@jonallen93_) February 9, 2022
Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt tweeted, “Let’s not forget: Hitler was responsible for the mass genocide of six million Jews in the Holocaust & millions of others. Any honest appraisal of his reign of terror during WWII cannot overlook how he & the Nazis sought to annihilate the Jews of Europe.”
Let’s not forget: Hitler was responsible for the mass genocide of six million Jews in the Holocaust & millions of others. Any honest appraisal of his reign of terror during WWII cannot overlook how he & the Nazis sought to annihilate the Jews of Europe. #NeverAgain https://t.co/RE7tdlBnJY
— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) February 9, 2022
More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.