President Trump attended
the 120th Army-Navy football game in Philadelphia on Saturday for the
third time, where he told players they can play professional football
after graduation under a new waiver for service academy athletes.
Trump
stopped at the locker rooms of both the Army Black Knights, who are 5-7
heading into the game, and the Navy Midshipmen, with a record of
9-2, to wish the teams good luck and announce that their service could
be delayed to play in the NFL.
“So what we’re doing now is you’ll
go out and you’ll make a fortune," Trump said in the Army locker room.
"And after you are all finished with your professional career, you’ll go
and you’ll serve. And everybody’s thrilled.Trump was flanked by Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who confirmed that players from the service academies will have a waiver from their duties if they go on to play professional sports.
“We have changed that policy,” Esper said.
The president also participated in the coin toss before the start of the game.
Also in attendance on Saturday was Sully, the famous service dog of the late President George. H.W. Bush.
