Trump-Hating Ex-NFL Player Fired After Unhinged Rant Ended in Arrest

Retired Minnesota Vikings punter and MAGA critic Chris Kluwe said his employer fired him Thursday after police arrested him at a city council meeting.

Kluwe, 43, coached at Edison High School in Huntington Beach, California, according to Fox 11 Los Angeles.

At the Hunting Beach City Council meeting on Feb. 18, Kluwe protested a city-approved “MAGA” plaque to be placed at the public library honoring its 50th anniversary.

The plaque read “Magical Alluring Galvanizing Adventurous.” It also read, “”Through hope and change, our nation has built back better to the golden age of Making America Great Again.”

Former Vikings punter Chris Kluwe was arrested at a City Council Meeting in Huntington Beach, CA.

He came to protest against a MAGA sign and called MAGA a “Nazi movement.“ He then called for “civil disobedience” before walking up to the council members where he was arrested. pic.twitter.com/ReGMgEWVl8

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) February 20, 2025

“MAGA is profoundly corrupt, unmistakably anti-democracy, and most importantly, MAGA is explicitly a Nazi movement,” Kluwe said at the meeting, amid audience applause. “You may have replaced a swastika with a red hat, but that is what it is.

“I will now engage in the time-honored American tradition of peaceful civil disobedience,” Kluwe said.

Kluwe then rushed from the podium toward the city council members, prompting officers to arrest him.

His intent was reportedly to sit on the floor in protest, according to Fox 11 Los Angeles.

Former NFL punter protested Trump & MAGA movement—now he’s been fired from high school coaching job.

Chris Kluwe was fired as freshman football coach at Edison High in Huntington Beach for “getting too much attention.”

He spoke at city council meeting criticizing MAGA and was… pic.twitter.com/zpuDNYzDTf

— LongTime🤓FirstTime👨‍💻 (@LongTimeHistory) March 1, 2025

Kluwe, who had coached freshman football at Edison for five years, said school officials spoke to him Thursday after the incident.

“And they said … ‘Based on what’s going on we just feel it’s too much attention and we have to let you go,’” Kluwe told The Orange County Register.

The officials gave Kluwe the opportunity to resign, but he refused.

“I wanted people to see what MAGA actually means for a community and that this will not make our community better, it’s taking away a resource from the kids,” he said.

School officials reportedly did not respond to The Orange County Register’s request for comment.

“I’m not going to scream and yell, but yeah, basically them saying that they had gotten messages of both against me as well as supporting me,” Kluwe said, according to USA Today.

“Didn’t give me any reason (for being fired) other than the school was getting too much attention.”

Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.