Secretary of War Pete Hegseth appeared on CBS Sports during the pregame show for the Army-Navy game on Saturday.
He expressed his thoughts on the significance of America’s Game. “I’m a football fan like all of you, so I love watching it every Saturday and Sunday, but there’s nothing like this day. This is America’s Day. The soul of this arena right now is the best of America. It’s going to be great football. We’re going to watch it. It’s always some surprises,” Hegseth stated.
He added, “What these men are willing to do make them the real 1% of this country. The real elite of this country are those wearing the uniform today, and I’m honored to be here.”
When asked about the impact of the game on deployed service members, Hegseth replied, “You guys know the key to real camaraderie is rivalry. The brotherhood is forged in difficult moments. So it’s on the gridiron here, but then later on, it’s in all the units that you serve with together. On this day, you pick sides. And every other day, you’re on the same side.”
He also took a moment to acknowledge the loss of three Americans in Syria earlier that day, stating, “It’s a reminder of the deadly serious nature of what these warriors sign up to do. We honor them by giving everything today. We honor them by having their back. This game demonstrates to the country, reminds the country of how special what they do is.”
Reflecting on his own experiences, Hegseth shared, “It is the middle of the night, but you’re awake. It’s always a special thing for those that went to West Point, Annapolis. If you went, if you’re an alum, it’s that much. But everybody took sides. As an army guy, of course, it’s always go army, except this year, now I can be bipartisan because the Department of War is everybody. I did pick Navy for today’s game, trying to be a little balanced, but I love them all. It’s a brotherhood that most people don’t understand, but those that do, hold it dear.”
He concluded with a message for active service members: “Thank you for what you do. From President Trump, he has your back. We have your back. We honor you. My job is to serve you, is to serve them, is to give every tool, authority you need to do your job to deter America’s enemies, keep us safe. If we have to fight, you’re going to fight to win. That’s what the War Department is all about.”
Watch the full interview on Twitter: @SECWAR.
https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
The Midshipmen of the United States Naval Academy emerged victorious against the Army’s Black Knights, retaining the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy.
