WASHINGTON — The Biden administration on Tuesday appeared to support the Dallas Mavericks’ decision to nix the National Anthem at games — telling reporters that national pride includes knowing that Americans “haven’t lived up to our highest ideals.”

At a White House press conference, spokeswoman Jen Psaki was asked what President Biden thought of Mavericks owner Mark Cuban’s decision to no longer play the “The Star-Spangled Banner” following an athlete-led kneeling protest over systemic racism.

“Well, I haven’t spoken with the president about the decision by Mark Cuban or the Dallas Mavericks,” Psaki said, “but I know he’s incredibly proud to be an American, and has great respect for the anthem, and all that represents, especially for our men and women serving in uniform around the world.”

Biden’s top spokeswoman then appeared to endorse the decision and said athletes choosing to kneel during the anthem were calling out the nation’s failings.

“He’d also say that, of course, that part of the pride in our country means recognizing moments where we as a country haven’t lived up to our highest ideals, which is often, and at times, when people are speaking to when they take action at sporting events, she went on.

“And it means respecting the rights of people, granted to them the constitution to peacefully protest. That’s why he ran for president in the first place and that’s what he’s focused on doing every day,” she said.

Cuban has been a vocal supporter for those who wish to kneel during the national anthem — a practice which former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began in 2016, setting off a partisan political debate.

The Biden White House’s stance on the issue is essentially the inverse of the Trump administration which urged players to “stand tall for our country and our flag.”

Last September, former president Donald Trump warned pro football and baseball players not to follow the lead of the NBA in boycotting games and kneeling for the national anthem, following a summer of historic racial unrest.

Many NBA players began taking a knee during the playing of the national anthem over the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police in May, with the movement also spreading to the NHL and NFL.