With the college football slate clear following the conference championship games last week, the nation’s attention is directed at the annual Army-Navy classic which is a time-honored sports tradition that kicked off the 119th meeting on Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia.
President Trump is in attendance and participated in the ceremonial coin flip before the two rival service academies fought it out on the gridiron for bragging rights as well as the highly coveted Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy.
Viewers of the nationally televised game from Lincoln Financial Field were treated to a show of just how much that the military reveres Trump who has been an outspoken champion for the nation’s armed forces, a welcome change from the eight years that Barack Obama served as commander in chief.
Trump tweeted the following earlier this afternoon:
Great honor to be headed to the Army-Navy game today. Will be there shortly, landing now! pic.twitter.com/ByAfESq8aS
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 8, 2018
When he arrived, the POTUS received a rousing reception from the crowd, something that surely has his leftist foes grinding their teeth into nubs.
CHECK IT OUT:
President Trump gets Introduced for Coin Toss #Army #Navy #ArmyNavy #ArmyNavyGame @PhiladelphiaSN pic.twitter.com/V60YIuZ51A
— David Malandra Jr (@David_Malandra) December 8, 2018
Cheers for @realDonaldTrump before the coin flip at #ArmyNavy pic.twitter.com/c1tWeUXe79
— Dan Gelston (@APgelston) December 8, 2018
The first quarter of Army-Navy is over with Army having a 7-0 lead over the Midshipmen! Here's a look at President Trump's coin flip. https://t.co/adWbGpgD4G pic.twitter.com/2R6Q76ntCP
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) December 8, 2018
.@realDonaldTrump at the #ArmyNavy game. pic.twitter.com/6HCrPIb174
— Jeff Mason (@jeffmason1) December 8, 2018
Via Fox/AP, “Trump is 10th sitting president to attend Army-Navy game”:
Saturday was a day of politics and football for President Donald Trump, who announced the departure of his chief of staff, nominated a new top military adviser and then threw fist pumps at this year’s Army-Navy football game.
The commander in chief flew to Philadelphia for the 119th meeting in the storied rivalry between the service academies, and officiated the coin toss at Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. Navy called “tails,” and that’s what it was when Trump’s flipped coin landed on the turf. Navy elected to kick off.
Before the game, parachute jumpers floated onto the field — the Army ones displaying the American and service flags and the Navy ones waving banners that said “Forged by the Sea” and “Fear the Goat” — a reference to the Navy’s mascot. Cheers rose up from the stands when each landed.
Trump and Defense Secretary James Mattis stood silent during an invocation and a moment of silence for former President George H.W. Bush, who died recently died at age 94. Trump and Mattis both received loud cheers and applause from members of the two armed services. Military jets and helicopters flew overhead, and the teams stormed the field to a deafening roar.
President Trump loves our military and they certainly love him: eat your heart out Democrats!
