President-elect Donald Trump descended Saturday on Washington’s hometown stadium for the annual Army-Navy football game, bringing with him key allies who have been selected to join his inner circle as he returns to the White House next month.
Trump was joined in his box seats by Vice President-elect JD Vance, as well as his picks for director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard; secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth; and national security adviser, Mike Waltz. Elon Musk, who Trump has tapped to set up a so-called Department of Government Efficiency alongside Vivek Ramaswamy, also made an appearance.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — a Trump foe-turned-ally whom Trump reportedly considered as a backup for Defense Secretary if Hegseth fails his Senate confirmation — was also at the game.
So was Daniel Penny, a Marine Corps veteran who was acquitted last week of homicide after fatally choking a subway rider named Jordan Neely. Penny came at Vance’s invitation.
Trump attended the iconic yearly showdown between Westpoint’s Black Knights and Annapolis’ Midshipmen when he was president-elect in 2016 and throughout his first term in the White House.
Although Trump has drawn backlash for a series of controversial comments made about service members, veterans and their families, the military has historically leaned more conservative, and veterans backed Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024 by a wide margin, according to Pew Research.
Earlier Saturday, the Federal Aviation Administration banned drones around the stadium after a series of drone sightings across the Northeast prompted unsubstantiated claims that the drones were from an “Iranian mothership” — which the Pentagon has denied. On Friday, Trump suggested the drones should be shot down.
Giselle Ruhiyyih Ewing contributed to this report.
