President Donald Trump will attend the Army-Navy game Saturday, the third time in a row and last time he will attend the game during his term.
Naval Academy athletic director Chet Gladchuk confirmed the president’s attendance during a Board of Visitors meeting Monday morning.
The Army-Navy game will be played in Highland Falls, home to the United States Military Academy. It is being played on a college campus for the sixth time, with the last time on the academy grounds in 1943 due to World War II. The game was played at the Naval Academy in 1942.
The game is being played at Army this year due to restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic. Outside of the president, the only fans in the stands will be the Brigade of Midshipmen and Army cadets.
It is Army’s year to host, Gladchuk said, which is why the game will be at Army.
Trump previously attended the game twice as president, as well as in 2016 as president-elect. Last year, he used the game to promote new policy that would allow midshipmen and cadets to defer their service requirements in order to play in pro sports leagues, the Associated Press reported. He is the 10th commander-in-chief to attend the game.
Navy (3-6) is looking to take home a win for the second year in a row. Navy won in 2019, ending Army’s three-year streak. Navy currently leads the series 61 — 52 — 7. Navy has only won once when Trump has attended.
The Army-Navy rivalry first started in 1890, according to previous Capital reporting. The game was suspended by President Grover Cleveland in 1893 due to a brawl but brought back six years later by President William McKinley. The only time the game was not played was in 1917 and 1918 during the first World War. The game was played in 1963 but delayed due to President John F. Kennedy’s assassination.
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