Washington, Jan 9 (IANS): US President Donald Trump walked onto the field and stood with members of the military for the National Anthem at a college football national championship game in Atlanta, the media reported.

On Monday night, the President stood with his hand over his heart, singing along to parts of the anthem ahead of the game between the University of Georgia and the University of Alabama at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium, reports CNN.

The players, as is normal in college football, were not yet on the field for the anthem.

Trump, who has criticised professional athletes for kneeling during the National Anthem, left to take his seat for the game after the anthem.

Earlier on Monday, Trump had again criticised athletes who kneel during the anthem to protest police brutality.

"There's plenty of space for people to express their views and to protest, but we love our flag and we love our anthem and we want to keep it that way," Trump told a gathering here.

Since 2016, some American professional athletes have protested police brutality and racial inequality by kneeling while the national anthem is played before matches.

The silent protests have received mixed responses with some calling it unpatriotic and disrespectful.