Donald Trump tosses the coin at the start of the Army-Navy game in Philadelphia

Crowd roars as Trump flips coin for 119th annual Army-Navy game before minute silence to honor President George H.W. Bush and an impressive 17-10 Army win

  • Donald Trump tossed the coin at the Army-Navy football game in Philadelphia
  • Navy called ‘tails’ which was the was the result when Trump’s flipped coin landed on the turf at Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Philadelphia Eagles 
  • Trump is the tenth sitting president to go to the game and attended it in 2016 
  • POTUS was seen speaking with General Mark Milley who he announced will become his new Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman 

Donald Trump tossed the coin at the Army-Navy football game soon after he announced the departure of his Chief of Staff John Kelly. 

The commander in chief flew to Philadelphia for the 119th meeting in the storied rivalry between the service academies and officiated the coin toss at Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. 

Navy called ‘tails’  which was the was the result when Trump’s flipped coin landed on the turf.

Donald Trump tossed the coin at the Army-Navy football game soon after he announced the departure of his Chief of Staff John Kelly

Trump meets with Navy player Anthony Gargiulo ahead of an NCAA college football game

Trump meets with Navy player Anthony Gargiulo ahead of an NCAA college football game

Speaking to reporters on Saturday as he was leaving to attend the game, Trump confirmed that Kelly is leaving before the start of the next legislative session. 

The staff-shake up allows Trump to start fresh in anticipation of Democrats’ ascension to power in the House in January and and his re-election campaign in 2020. 

Trump, who saw the Army-Navy contest in 2016 as president-elect, is the 10th sitting president to go to the game. President Theodore Roosevelt was the first, in 1901. 

POTUS was seeing shaking hands with Gen Mark Milley who he said will become his next top military advisor. 

Milley is a battle-hardened commander who has served as chief of the Army for the last three years.

Like previous commanders in chief, Trump was expected to switch sides at halftime in a show of impartiality.

The first game between the two service academies took place in 1890. Army won by 17 to 10.  

Donald Trump talks with incoming Army Chief of Staff General Mark Milley at the game 

Donald Trump talks with incoming Army Chief of Staff General Mark Milley at the game 

President Donald Trump walks with Naval Academy Superintendent Vice Admiral Ted Carter (left)  and meets with other servicemen and women at the game 

Trump later tweeted that he was honored to attend the game which Army won by 17 to ten 

Trump later tweeted that he was honored to attend the game which Army won by 17 to ten 

No. 22 Army (9-2) is in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 1996. The Black Knights have won seven in a row and have defeated Navy (3-9) two straight years. 

He was joined by State Department secretary Mike Pompeo, Department of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, Interior secretary Ryan Zinke, Army’s Mark Esper, and the Navy’s Richard Spencer. 

Military members present included current Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford, set to be replaced by General Mark Milley who is also in attendance, Lieutenant General Darryl Williams, and Vice Admiral Walter Carter Jr. 

Trump also mingled with members of the crowd and shook hands with some spectators 

Trump also mingled with members of the crowd and shook hands with some spectators 

Trump was happy to post for pictures as spectators waved at him from the stands 

Trump was happy to post for pictures as spectators waved at him from the stands 

Trump attended the game in 2016, shortly after his presidential election victory, but skipped 2017’s rivalry, saying he would be watching it on television.

The rivalry game was first played in 1890, the first year that the Army had an organized football team. 

Then-President Theodore Roosevelt started the tradition of attending the game in 1901, and of the 19 other men to serve as president following Roosevelt, eight attended the game while in office.

President Harry S. Truman attended the most games out of any president, making appearances at the stadium of at least six games, according to the Truman Library archives. During the matchup in 1950, Truman even conducted the coin toss.

Former Presidents Woodrow Wilson and John F. Kennedy each attended the game twice during their tenure. Kennedy was shot and killed shortly before the 1963 game. 

Out of the eight years President George W. Bush was in office, he watched the game from the arena three times. Former Presidents Calvin Coolidge, Gerald Ford, Bill Clinton and Obama all attended the game once.

 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk