President-elect Trump’s pick for national security adviser, Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.), completed 44 pushups following Army’s loss to Navy during the Saturday football match-up.
“Honoring my bet with my Navy fellow for Army’s 31-13 loss. 44 pushups,” Waltz posted alongside a video on the social platform X.
The game was attended by Trump and multiple of his nominees and staff members for the incoming administration.
Department of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth, an Army veteran, and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii), Trump’s pick for director of national intelligence, were both with the former president in his suite, along with other guests including Elon Musk and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).
During the 125th game between service academies, Trump spoke with Join Chiefs Chair CQ Brown Jr., whom Hegseth has suggested firing due to his “wokeness.”
However, Trump hasn’t signaled whether or not he would nix Brown, who is approaching two years of leadership in a four-year term.
Vice President-elect Vance was also in attendance, alongside Daniel Penny, a former Marine who he personally invited to the game after he was acquitted of a negligent homicide charge for strangling Jordan Neely, a homeless man, on a New York subway.
“Daniel’s a good guy, and New York’s mob district attorney tried to ruin his life for having a backbone,” Vance wrote in a statement on X supporting Penny’s actions.
“I’m grateful he accepted my invitation and hope he’s able to have fun and appreciate how much his fellow citizens admire his courage.”
The statement came days before Rep.-elect Brandon Gill (R-Texas) said the nation needs “a lot more Daniel Pennys.”
