President Donald Trump received an enthusiastic reception Saturday at the Army-Navy football game at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, where he participated in the traditional coin toss to decide the opening kickoff.
The president was greeted with loud cheers from the crowd during his introduction before the toss. Head referee Tim Rich thanked the president for his “leadership and… continued support of our servicemembers and our veterans,” calling it an honor to have him in attendance.
President Trump replied that it was a “great honor” to attend the annual rivalry game.
Army won the toss after the president’s coin flip, calling tails and electing to kick off, deferring possession until the second half. President Trump then shook hands with the captains from both teams as part of the pregame ceremony, which also included a flyover and the national anthem.
The president was later seen smiling as the crowd chanted “USA.”
At halftime, with Army holding a 13-7 lead, President Trump crossed the field to spend time with both Army cadets and Navy midshipmen, a gesture aimed at giving equal attention to both academies.
President Trump has a long history of attending the Army-Navy game, both as president and president-elect. He was present for the rivalry matchup in 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2024.
The president announced plans to attend this year’s contest during a Thanksgiving call with U.S. troops, during which Army Sgt. Maj. Anderson asked which team President Trump would support if he had to place a wager.
“That’s a terrible question!” the president joked. “He’ll get me in so much trouble.”
“But I’ll tell you what I will do, I’ll be going… One of those teams is having a spectacular year… They’re both doing well, but I’ll be at the game, and I’m going to let you know right after the game who’s going to win,” he added.
Army won six of the previous 10 meetings between the two programs, while Navy won on Saturday in a close 17-16 final score.