Trump attends a hundred and twenty fifth Military-Navy sport alongside key allies, nominees and Daniel Penny

President-elect Donald Trump huddled with allies and a Republican trigger célèbre at Saturday’s Military-Navy soccer sport at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, taking in one of the vital storied rivalries in faculty sports activities whereas spotlighting his rising nationwide safety crew.

Navy defeated Military 31-13 on Saturday to take residence the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy, CBS Sports activities reported.

In the course of the sport, Trump sat within the field of Sen.-elect Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania and former deputy nationwide safety adviser Dina Powell McCormick. He was joined by Vice President-elect JD Vance, embattled Pentagon choose Pete Hegseth and others for the a hundred and twenty fifth matchup between service academies. Tulsi Gabbard, who Trump picked to be his director of nationwide intelligence, was noticed within the field.

 Elon Musk, the billionaire tapped to co-head the newly coined Division of Authorities Effectivity, was additionally seen with Trump.

Additionally in attendance was Daniel Penny, a navy veteran who was acquitted of criminally negligent murder this week within the chokehold demise of an agitated subway rider in New York. Penny was invited by Vance, who accused prosecutors of making an attempt to “destroy” Penny’s life by charging the Marine veteran within the demise of Jordan Neely in 2023.

Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Employees, was additionally proven sitting with Trump. The Joint Chiefs chairman is the nation’s highest-ranking navy officer, and serves as the first navy adviser to the president, protection secretary and Nationwide Safety Council.

Brown was nominated to the publish by President Biden in Might 2023. 

Trump, who attended Military-Navy video games as president-elect in 2016 and through his first phrases, has been making an growing variety of public appearances earlier than his inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025. He was accompanied by his household and Vance on Thursday as he rang the opening bell for the New York Inventory Trade after being acknowledged as Time journal’s individual of the 12 months.

Trump spent the weeks after the Nov. 5 election holed up at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida assembling a crew to assist lead his subsequent administration. He and his aides have turn out to be bullish about Hegseth’s possibilities of profitable Senate affirmation. The Military fight veteran and former Fox Information host’s possibilities of changing into protection secretary had appeared in peril amid allegations of extreme consuming, sexual assault and his views on ladies in fight.

Trump senior adviser Jason Miller stated Friday in a Newsmax interview that Hegseth has “made it by the gauntlet.” Miller predicted Hegseth will likely be confirmed.

“That is somebody who’s actually been shot at on the battlefield,” Miller added. “That is the kind of one who I need main the (Division of Protection) as a result of as we make these choices about whether or not or to not put American troops into hurt’s manner, I need somebody who is aware of at a private degree what that is like earlier than you go and ship some younger man or younger lady into battle.”

Home Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., attended the sport and introduced with him a contingent of different GOP lawmakers vying for face time with the incoming president weeks earlier than Republicans take management of the three branches of the federal authorities.

Johnson stated he intends to debate with Trump plans for a legislative package deal that might transfer by Congress subsequent 12 months with a easy majority within the face of anticipated Democratic opposition.

Vance stated Friday that Penny, a fellow Marine veteran, had accepted his invitation to be in Trump’s suite on the Military facet. Penny was cleared of criminally negligent murder in Neely’s demise after a decide had dismissed a extra critical manslaughter cost final week as a result of the jury deadlocked on that depend.

The case was a flashpoint within the long-standing debates over racial justice and in addition to failures by New York Metropolis to deal with homelessness and psychological sickness, each of which Neely had struggled with.

“Daniel’s man, and New York’s mob district legal professional tried to destroy his life for having a spine,” Vance stated in a publish on X. “I am grateful he accepted my invitation and hope he is in a position to have enjoyable and respect how a lot his fellow residents admire his braveness.”

Governor Wes Moore proclaimed Dec. 14, 2024, as Military vs. Navy Recreation Day in Maryland. 

“Right now is not only about one of many biggest rivalries in faculty sports activities – It is about what brings us collectively. I’m proud to be a part of the lengthy custom of service that defines our state and our nation; one which transcends background, ideology, race, and household historical past,” stated Moore.

The Navy Midshipmen and the Military Black Knights have confronted one another on the soccer area yearly since 1930, together with when america was combating in World Battle II.