EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – The annual matchup between West Point and the United States Naval Academy returned to New Jersey this weekend where the Navy midshipmen defeated Army 17-13. While the New Jersey State Police received a thunderous ovation from the crowd, things weren’t the same for New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.
Murphy, a Democrat who oversaw one of the nation’s longest and most draconian COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020 and into 2021 was met with roars of boos and chants of “Let’s Go Brandon” from the bleachers.
President Joe Biden did not attend the game. The game is often visited by sitting presidents. President Donald J. Trump attended in 2016 after defeating Hillary Clinton. In recent years, President George W. Bush and Barack Obama had attended the annual showdown.
Nine sitting Presidents attended the game, including Roosevelt, Coolidge, Truman, Kennedy, Ford, Clinton and Wilson. In 2016, Trump attended the game to a huge standing ovation as the entire stadium chanted “U.S.A.”.