President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance attended the annual Army-Navy game in Landover, Maryland, on Saturday, and they brought along some high-profile guests.
In the 125th meeting of the Black Knights and Midshipmen, Trump brought Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth, while Vance’s guest was Marine veteran Daniel Penny. Also on hand were House Speaker Mike Johnson, incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Trump’s director of national intelligence pick, Tulsi Gabbard, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Navy won the game, 31-13, behind quarterback Blake Horvath, who passed for two touchdowns and ran for two more. The Midshipmen raised their record to 9-3, while the loss dropped Army to 11-2. Both teams have had strong seasons. Navy will face Oklahoma in the Armed Forces Bowl, and Army is slated to play in the Independence Bowl, although no opponent has been announced since Marshall dropped out.
While the game was a highly anticipated matchup, the guests brought by Trump and Vance created a pregame buzz.
Penny was found not guilty in the subway chokehold death of Jordan Neely in New York City earlier this week, a decision which was criticized by some commentators on the left and underscored a divide between crime and mental health. Neely had been menacing riders when Penny acted to defend fellow straphangers. Penny faced up to 15 years in prison, but was acquitted of all charges.
President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance will attend the annual Army-Navy game in Landover, Maryland, on Saturday, and they are bringing some guests who are sure to stir debate. (Bill Pugliano/Getty Images, left, Andrew Harnik/Getty Images, second from left, Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images, second from right, Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images, right. )
DANIEL PENNY FOUND NOT GUILTY IN SUBWAY CHOKEHOLD TRIAL
Hegseth is still courting members of the Senate to secure his nomination for the top defense role, but Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, whoi has been floated as a possible alternative, was also in attendance.
Hegseth’s appearance will mark a very public declaration of support from Trump, as some senators are still holding out on committing to his confirmation. Hegseth, an Army National Guard and former longtime Fox News host, deployed to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and has been the focus of misconduct reports.
Trump’s defense secretary nominee has denied allegations that he mistreated women but did reach a financial settlement with an accuser from a 2017 incident to avoid a lawsuit. He has vowed that he won’t drink “a drop of alcohol” if confirmed as defense secretary.
Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be Defense Secretary, gives a thumbs-up as he walks with his wife Jennifer Hegseth, left, to meet with Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
JD VANCE CONFIRMS DANIEL PENNY WILL ATTEND ARMY-NAVY GAME AFTER ACQUITTAL IN SUBWAY CHOKEHOLD TRIAL
House Speaker Mike Johnson and Elon Musk were also spotted in Trump’s box at the game.
Meanwhile, Vance took a swipe at New York City prosecutors for taking on the case in a post on X confirming Penny’s attendance.
“Daniel’s a good guy, and New York’s mob district attorney tried to ruin his life for having a backbone,” Vance wrote. “I’m grateful he accepted my invitation and hope he’s able to have fun and appreciate how much his fellow citizens admire his courage.”
Penny, 26, was charged with manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide for the May 2023 subway chokehold death of Neely, a 30-year-old homeless man with schizophrenia who had barged onto the train shouting death threats while high on a type of synthetic marijuana known as K2.
Marine veteran Daniel Penny will attend the game alongside Vice President-elect JD Vance. (Rashid Umar Abbasi for Fox News Digital)
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Trump attended the game as president in 2018, 2019 and 2020, while he also appeared as president-elect in 2016.
President Biden has never attended the annual clash as president, although he did appear as vice president.
This season has been a banner year for both football programs, adding buzz to the annual rivalry match. The teams have a combined 19 wins this year and with victories over Air Force, the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy will be awarded to the winner of Saturday’s game.
Fox News’ Aishah Hasnie, Paulina Dedaj and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
The Navy Midshipmen and the Army Black Knights line up for the snap at the line of scrimmage during the first quarter of an NCAA football game at Gillette Stadium on Dec. 9, 2023, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)
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