Daniel Penny, acquitted in a controversial subway chokehold case, stands alongside Trump and Vance at Army-Navy game – and he got a hero’s welcome!
At a Glance
- Daniel Penny, a Marine veteran acquitted in Jordan Neely’s death, attended the Army-Navy game with Trump and Vance
- The event featured high-profile attendees, including potential Trump administration nominees
- Penny’s presence reignited debate on mental health, crime, and vigilantism
- Trump received a warm welcome, using the event as a platform for future policy discussions
- Navy won the game 31-13, leading the series 63-55
Marine Veteran Honored Amidst Controversy
The 2024 Army-Navy football game at Northwest Stadium in Landover, MD, became a focal point for more than just military rivalry. Daniel Penny, the Marine veteran recently acquitted in the chokehold death of Jordan Neely on a New York City subway, found himself in the spotlight once again. This time, he was seated in a suite alongside President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance, effectively being honored as a “hero” by prominent conservative figures.
And it was well-deserved – the man was put through hell!
Penny’s presence at the game, at the invitation of JD Vance, reignited the national debate surrounding his case. His acquittal on more serious charges had already split public opinion, with conservatives largely supporting the verdict and far-left politicians decrying it as an act of vigilante violence – only for those same Democrats to call for vigilante violence of their own after he was completely acquitted.
Daniel Penny hailed as a 'hero' alongside Trump and Vance in Army-Navy game suite https://t.co/GCvvkZi7dS
— Fox News (@FoxNews) December 14, 2024
Trump’s Warm Welcome and Future Administration Hints
President-elect Trump’s arrival at the game was met with enthusiastic cheers and chants of “USA, USA!” from the crowd.
Accompanying Trump were several high-profile figures, including Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth, Intelligence Director nominee Tulsi Gabbard, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a potential Defense Secretary candidate.
Trump also used the occasion to talk to Republican lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, about future legislative plans.
Penny’s Case: A Flashpoint for Debate
The inclusion of Daniel Penny in this high-profile setting brought his controversial case back into the limelight. Penny was charged after an altercation with Jordan Neely, a homeless man with schizophrenia, who had reportedly made death threats on a subway. Witnesses testified that Neely’s threats were particularly frightening, and they appreciated Penny’s intervention.
“I would not be able to live with myself if I didn’t do anything in that situation and someone got hurt,” Penny told Fox News in the wake of his acquittal.
JD Vance, an early supporter of Penny, invited him to the suite and was very vocally supportive if him online.
“Daniel’s a good guy, and New York’s mob district attorney tried to ruin his life for having a backbone,” Vance stated, adding, “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.”
Photos of Penny with Trump and Vance went viral, and the public display of support from high-ranking conservative figures sends a clear message that Americans will no longer be demonized for upholding the law when others don’t.
