At Saturday’s Army-Navy football game at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, President-elect Donald Trump gathered with supporters and a Republican cause cl itary to celebrate one of collegiate athletics’ most storied rivalries and to showcase his new national security staff.
Navy won the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy on Saturday after defeating Army 31–13, according to CBS Sports.
Trump sat in the box of former deputy national security advisor Dina Powell McCormick and Pennsylvania Senator-Elect Dave McCormick during the game.
For the 125th meeting between service academies, Obama was joined by embattled Pentagon pick Pete Hegseth, Vice President-elect JD Vance, and others. Trump’s choice for national intelligence director, Tulsi Gabbard, was seen in the box.
Trump was also spotted with Elon Musk, the billionaire who was selected to co-lead the recently established Department of Government Efficiency.
Also in attendance was Daniel Penny, a veteran of the military who was cleared last week of criminally negligent homicide in connection with the chokehold death of a furious New York subway passenger. Accusing prosecutors of trying to destroy Penny’s life by accusing the Marine veteran of being responsible for Jordan Neely’s death in 2023, Vance invited Penny.
Trump was also spotted sitting with Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Charles C.Q. Brown Jr. In addition to being the defense secretary and the head of the National Security Council, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the nation’s top military official and the president’s principal military advisor.
In May 2023, President Biden nominated Brown for the role.
As president-elect in 2016 and over his first two terms, Trump has been attending more public events in the run-up to his inauguration on January 20, 2025.
After being awarded Time magazine’s Person of the Year, he rang the opening bell for the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday, accompanied by Vance and his family.
Trump holed up at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida in the weeks after the November 5 election, assembling a team to assist in leading his new administration. He and his advisors have become hopeful that Hegseth will be confirmed by the Senate.
Following claims of heavy drinking, sexual assault, and his opinions on women in combat, the former Fox News anchor and Army combat veteran’s prospects of becoming defense secretary seemed to be in doubt.
Hegseth has survived the ordeal, according to Trump senior adviser Jason Miller, who made this claim in an interview with Newsmax on Friday. Hegseth would be confirmed, Miller said.
She claimed that this person had actually been shot at on the battlefield. That’s the kind of person I want in charge of the (Department of Defense) because I want someone who understands firsthand what it’s like to put American troops in danger before making the decision to send a young man or woman into combat.
Just weeks before Republicans seize control of all three parts of government, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., went to the game with a group of other GOP politicians hoping to get some face time with the future president.
Johnson stated that despite anticipated Democratic resistance, he hopes to talk with Trump about proposals for a legislative package that may pass Congress next year with a simple majority.
Penny, a fellow Marine veteran, accepted Vance’s offer to the Trump suite on the Army side, he said on Friday.
After the jury deadlocked on a more serious manslaughter charge last week, a judge vacated Penny’s acquittal of criminally negligent homicide in Neely’s death.
Long-running discussions concerning racial justice and New York City’s inaction on homelessness and mental illness—both of which Neely had experienced—were sparked by this case.
Vance commented on X, “Daniel is a good guy, and the mob district attorney in New York tried to ruin his life just for having a backbone.” I’m happy he accepted my invitation, and I hope he enjoys himself and realizes how much his fellow residents respect his bravery.
Maryland’s Army vs. Navy Game Day is set for December 14, 2024, according to Governor Wes Moore.
Today is about what brings us together, not just one of the fiercest rivalries in college athletics. I am honored to be a part of the great legacy of service that unites our state and nation, Moore said, a heritage that cuts beyond racial, ideological, and familial boundaries.
Even throughout World War II, the Army Black Knights and Navy Midshipmen have been playing football together annually since 1930.
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Eliot Pierce is a dedicated writer for ChiefsFocus.com, covering local crime and finance news. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, Eliot aims to provide his readers with clear and insightful analysis, helping them navigate the complexities of their financial lives while staying informed about important local events. His commitment to delivering accurate and engaging content makes him a valuable resource for the community.