Robert O’Neill gives Team USA speech, prompting liberal criticism
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Former Navy SEAL Robert J. O’Neill, who was part of the 2011 raid that killed Osama bin Laden, gave a pregame speech to Team USA players ahead of Friday’s World Baseball Classic quarterfinal game against Canada.
After O’Neill’s pep talk, the USA team beat Canada 5-3 to advance to the semifinals. But the speech also drew criticism from left-wing social media users inside and outside the United States.
Many of the speech’s critics condemned its pro-war messages and association of the war with American values.
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Edouard Julien of Canada moves to second base against Brice Turang of the United States during the fifth inning at Daikin Park on March 13, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
Other Americans praised the speech and hit back at critics.
One
Another user wrote: “Epic! Well played @USABesball. The American hero and legend in the clubhouse.”
USA TEAM BASEBALL MANAGER MARK DEROSA RESPONSES TO CRITICISM ABOUT THE INSTALLATION CONVERSATION
Team USA manager Mark DeRosa during the national anthem before a game against Great Britain at Daikin Park on March 7, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Gabriella Ricciardi/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
The USA will face the Dominican Republic in the WBC semifinals on Sunday.
The win over Canada was the third American defeat in less than a month Canadian sports dreams Olympic hockey burst onto the world stage last month following dramatic victories over Canada in both the men’s and women’s gold medal games.
O’Neill wasn’t the only one getting the USA team excited before the game.
Team USA manager Mark DeRosa announced that Jack Hughes, the U.S. hockey hero who scored the winning goal in the Olympic gold medal game against Canada, reached out to American baseball players ahead of Friday’s game.
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Aaron Judge of the United States shakes hands with teammates before a game against Canada during the 2026 World Baseball Classic at Daikin Park on March 13, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Houston Astros/Getty Images)
“Jack Hughes sent the guys a nice, little, passionate message, and I posted it in the group chats,” DeRosa said at a news conference Thursday before the game.
“I know there is some talk that some hockey jerseys will be sent out for the guys to wear during BP or in the clubhouse tomorrow.”
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