The sellout crowd cheered President-elect Trump wildly and chanted “Make America Great”. The small group of sadsack protesters outside was mostly ignored.
UPDATE: Army wins 21-14 ending a 14 year Navy winning streak.
President-elect Donald Trump is partaking in one of the nation’s most storied football rivalries, saluting U.S. troops at the annual Army-Navy game on Saturday as he prepares to enter the White House.
The future commander-in-chief is attending planned the 117th game between the military academies at West Point and Annapolis, which is being held on relatively neutral ground, at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland.
Trump tweeted on Saturday morning that he was going to the game ‘as a show of support for our Armed Forces.’
The President-elect’s presence brought out protesters with about one hundred people marching around the stadium before the game began.
The demonstrators wielded signs that read ‘Resist’ and ‘Make Fascists Hide Again.’ They chanted ‘No Trump, No KKK, No fascist U.S.A.’ and ‘We reject the president-elect.’
Mr Trump spent the first half of the game in the box of David Urban, a West Point graduate and Republican adviser and the second half in the box of retired Marine Lt. Col. Oliver North, a graduate of Annapolis.
As the third quarter got underway, Mr Trump spent some time in the CBS Sports commentary box sharing his thoughts on the unfolding game and those taking part.
‘I just love the armed forces, love the folks. Their spirit is so incredible,’ said Mr Trump. ‘I mean, I don’t know if it is necessarily the best football, but they have the best spirit – more than anybody – it’s beautiful!
Mr Trump was asked by the commentary team about his thoughts on seeing the military might playing before him and that he would be their Commander-In-Chief in the next six weeks.
‘It’s a humbling thought. It’s a great honor and a great responsibility,’ Mr Trump said. ‘When you see these inredible people we want them to be strong. It’s beautiful to see. You don’t see this kind of spirit anywhere else. These are just amazing people.’