Robert O’Neill gives Team USA speech, prompting liberal criticism
NEWYou can now take heed to Fox News articles!
Former Navy SEAL Robert J. O’Neill, who was a part of the 2011 raid that killed Osama bin Laden, delivered a pregame speech to Team USA gamers forward of their World Baseball Classic quarterfinal sport towards Canada Friday.
Team USA beat Canada 5-3 to advance to the semi-finals after O’Neill’s pep speak. But the speech additionally acquired criticism from left-wing social media customers inside and past the US
Many who criticized the speech condemned its pro-war messaging and affiliation of struggle with American values.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Edouard Julien of Canada slides into second base towards Brice Turang of the United States through the fifth inning at Daikin Park March 13, 2026, in Houston, Texas. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
Other Americans praised the speech and fired again on the critics.
“It’s unfortunate that the comment section is filled with people upset about an american hero telling a team representing America about a heroic story about a mission his team accomplished. We went from a patriotic country post 9/11 to a country full of terrorist sympathizers,” one X person wrote.
Another person wrote, “Epic! Well performed by @USABaseball. American hero and legend within the clubhouse.”
TEAM USA BASEBALL MANAGER MARK DEROSA RESPONDS TO CRITICISM AMID MOUNTING CONTROVERSY
Manager Mark DeRosa of Team USA through the singing of the nationwide anthem earlier than a sport towards Great Britain at Daikin Park March 7, 2026, in Houston, Texas. (Gabriella Ricciardi/MLB Photos through Getty Images)
The US will play the Dominican Republic in a WBC semifinal Sunday.
The win over Canada marked the third time in lower than a month that Americans have crushed Canadian sports dreams on the world stage after dramatic victories over Canada in each the lads’s and ladies’s Olympic hockey gold medal video games final month.
O’Neill wasn’t the one one to hype up Team USA earlier than the sport.
Team USA supervisor Mark DeRosa revealed that USA hockey hero Jack Hughes, who scored the profitable objective within the gold medal sport towards Canada on the Olympics, reached out to the American baseball gamers earlier than Friday’s sport.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Aaron Judge of the United States shakes fingers with teammates earlier than a sport towards Canada through the 2026 World Baseball Classic at Daikin Park March 13, 2026, in Houston, Texas. (Houston Astros/Getty Images)
“Jack Hughes sent the boys a nice little fire-up message that I put out on their group chat,” DeRosa mentioned throughout a press convention Thursday forward of the sport.
“I know there are some talks about some hockey jerseys being sent in tomorrow for the guys to wear during BP or out and about in the clubhouse.”
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on Xand subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
