Trump returns to Army-Navy showdown as Syria ambush kills 2 US soldiers, interpreter

President Donald Trump arrived astatine M&T Bank Stadium successful Baltimore connected Saturday for the 126th installment of the Army-Navy game, hours aft officials said 2 U.S. Army soldiers and a U.S. interpreter were killed successful an ambush onslaught successful Syria. 

The president called retired the onslaught successful a Truth Social station shared conscionable an hr earlier kickoff. 

President Donald Trump stands connected the tract earlier the commencement of the 126th Army-Navy NCAA assemblage shot crippled astatine M&T Bank Stadium. The crippled took spot successful Baltimore, Maryland, connected Dec. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

"We mourn the nonaccomplishment of 3 Great American Patriots successful Syria, 2 soldiers, and 1 Civilian Interpreter. Likewise, we commune for the 3 injured soldiers who, it has conscionable been confirmed, are doing well," Trump said. "This was an ISIS onslaught against the U.S., and Syria, successful a precise unsafe portion of Syria, that is not afloat controlled by them. The President of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, is highly aggravated and disturbed by this attack. There volition beryllium precise superior retaliation. Thank you for your attraction to this matter!"

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM 

Saturday marks Trump's seventh quality astatine the game, attending each twelvemonth from 2016 to 2020, arsenic good arsenic past year's affair. The 2016 crippled was besides the past clip the crippled was played successful Baltimore, wherever Army won 21-17 to interruption Navy's 14-game winning streak implicit the Black Knights. 

"Getting acceptable to onshore astatine Fort McHenry for my abbreviated thrust to the Army-Navy Game. Everyone is asking who americium I supporting, Army oregon Navy? My reply is: "You indispensable beryllium joking if you deliberation I’m going to springiness you that answer!" Trump aboriginal posted connected Truth Social.

Trump tossed the coin astatine midfield aft the nationalist anthem, shaking hands with players.

Last year's crippled was successful Landover, Maryland, astatine Northwest Stadium, the location of the Washington Commanders. Trump attended the crippled with Vice President J.D. Vance, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Elon Musk, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Daniel Penny, who was acquitted of charges successful the decease of Jordan Neely.

President Donald Trump walks onto the tract earlier the commencement of the 126th Army-Navy NCAA assemblage shot crippled astatine M&T Bank Stadium. The crippled took spot successful Baltimore, Maryland, connected Dec. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

CHICAGO RADIO HOST RIPS CUBS PLAYER FOR TURNING POINT EVENT ATTENDANCE, LIKENS IT TO 'NAZI-ADJACENT PEP RALLY'

Last year, Army won the AAC for the archetypal league rubric successful the program's storied history. The Black Knights were successful the Top 25 earlier losing 31-13 to Navy. This twelvemonth is simply a accidental for Army to question redemption.

This crippled volition find the victor of the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy, which goes to the victor of the yearly round-robin contention of Army, Navy, and Air Force. Navy won it past twelvemonth by sweeping the different 2 academies, marking the archetypal clip a squad has won the trophy since 2017.

If each 3 teams spell 1-1 against each other, the erstwhile year's victor retains the trophy, but some Army and Navy scored constrictive wins implicit Air Force this season, making this week's crippled a winner-take-all matchup.

Army has not defeated an AP-ranked Navy squad since 1955. The Midshipmen were successful the College Football Playoff rankings — but not the AP Top 25 — erstwhile they mislaid to Army successful 2016. Navy is presently ranked 22nd successful the AP canvass but is not ranked by the CFP committee.

U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd-L) walks onto the tract for the 126th Army-Navy Game betwixt the Army Black Knights and the Navy Midshipmen astatine M&T Bank Stadium connected Dec. 13, 2025 successful Baltimore, Maryland.  (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP 

Both teams person secured vessel bids — the Black Knights (6-5) to the Fenway Bowl and the 9-2 Midshipmen to the Liberty Bowl. 

Navy finished tied for archetypal successful the AAC, missing retired connected the league rubric crippled due to the fact that of tiebreakers. Tulane won the league rubric crippled and earned a bid to the College Football Playoff.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports sum connected X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.