Left-wing critics complain about Utah Royals’ ‘America First’ jerseys and stadium

The Utah Royals, a women’s professional soccer club based in Salt Lake City, faced criticism for their jerseys and stadium, which are named after their sponsor — America First Credit Union, from leftists who claim the term “America First” is rooted in “fascism” and “racism.”

The credit union, founded in 1939 as the Fort Douglas Civilian Employees Credit Union, changed its name to the Federal Employees Credit Union in 1947 after it moved to Ogden, Utah, then changed it again in 1984 to the America First Credit Union, Axios noted. In 2022, Rio Tinto Stadium, the home stadium for the Royals, was renamed America First Field.

“The ‘America’ in our name denotes our connection to our founding members — civilian federal employees who worked at the American military bases and defense depots in Utah,” a representative for America First Credit Union explained. “Those early members’ deep and abiding sense of service and patriotism is something that continues to be felt within our membership to this day,” adding that “first” referred to “putting the financial needs of their members at the forefront.”

“In a March 30 statement, two supporter groups for the Washington Spirit and D.C. United said the company’s defense of their name ‘ignores the complex and hateful history of the name and the ongoing effects of American nationalism and white supremacy that ‘America First’ expresses,’” Axios reported.

After an account claiming to represent supporters of the North Carolina Courage posted on X, “We must weigh in on the jersey controversy. While we support all the Utah players and their fans, we can’t stand by without mentioning the front of jersey sponsor, America First Credit Union, of our opponent — the Royals. The phrase ‘America First’ has a long history rooted in racism, fascism, and hateful ideology,” Utah governor Spencer Cox responded by posting, “Just when you think this website can’t get any more ridiculous. (I had to double check if this was a parody account…sadly it is not).”

As we approach the Courage’s match against Utah Royals FC this Friday, we must weigh in on the jersey controversy. While we support all the Utah players and their fans, we can’t stand by without mentioning the front of jersey sponsor, America First Credit Union, of our opponent – pic.twitter.com/0NopYIZuYS

— The Uproar (@UproarNC) March 22, 2024

Just when you think this website can’t get any more ridiculous. (I had to double check if this was a parody account…sadly it is not) https://t.co/8W8tp3h65X

— Spencer Cox (@SpencerJCox) March 22, 2024

Former President Trump first outlined his “America First” perspective as a presidential candidate in April 2016, when he stated, “America first will be the major and overriding theme of my administration.”

“Our foreign policy is a complete and total disaster. No vision. No purpose. No direction. No strategy,” he stated. “Our friends are beginning to think they can’t depend on us. We’ve had a president who dislikes our friends and bows to our enemies, something that we’ve never seen before in the history of our country. … Israel, our great friend and the one true democracy in the Middle East has been snubbed and criticized by an administration that lacks moral clarity. Just a few days ago, Vice President Biden again criticized Israel, a force for justice and peace …”

He slammed President Obama, declaring, “He has even allowed China to steal government secrets with cyber attacks and engaged in industrial espionage against the United States and its companies. We’ve let our rivals and challengers think they can get away with anything, and they do.”

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“The world is most peaceful and most prosperous when America is strongest. America will continue and continue forever to play the role of peacemaker. We will always help save lives and indeed humanity itself, but to play the role, we must make America strong again,” he concluded.

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