Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and other Trump allies took to social media on Thursday after the Navy’s Blue Angels drew widespread attention with a flyover above a Florida beach.
Video shared online showed beachgoers cheering as two Blue Angels jets with the flight demonstration team made a low pass over Pensacola Beach on Wednesday. Social media reactions varied, from those who praised the flyover and wished they could have seen it in person, to those who criticized the stunt.
Hegseth, however, posted on X, “The flyovers will continue until morale improves.”
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Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell shared a photo of one of the aircraft performing a maneuver during the flyover and wrote, “Carry on Patriots.”
Eric Trump also responded by sharing an ABC News report on X, writing, “Can’t stand the manufactured outrage by the low-T mainstream media. This was undoubtedly the highlight of these people’s day…”
The ABC News report Eric Trump shared said Navy officials confirmed in a statement to the outlet that Blue Angels leadership is “reviewing the circumstances surrounding the maneuver and conducting a thorough safety review.”
The Blue Angels did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
The flyover came during Wednesday morning’s annual “Breakfast with the Blues” event, which marks the start of Red, White and Blues Week and gives spectators a chance to watch the Navy’s flight demonstration squadron practice over the Gulf Coast.
Local news outlet WALA-TV reported that this year’s event drew one of its largest crowds in recent memory, with the Casino Beach and Quietwater parking lots filling by about 7 a.m. Thousands lined the beach as the Blue Angels spent about two hours practicing ahead of this weekend’s air show.
Brenda Bennett, who has attended the event for decades, told the newspaper she had never seen a crowd this large.
“I’ve been coming since 1997 and this is the best kept secret, but I think the secret’s out because there’s more people here than normally,” Bennett said.
Theresa Smith and Sheri Marinovich said they had to park farther away than usual because of the crowds but said the extra walk was worth it.
“They’re showing out,” the pair told the newspaper. “They love to put on a show for the breakfast crowd. You feel like they’re just so much closer and we get to hear them talking on the radio and they do different maneuvers than they do for the show.”
Many spectators told the outlet the event felt especially meaningful following the recent America 250 celebrations. Bennett said she hopes Americans continue celebrating “our freedom that we have here in the United States.”
The Blue Angels are scheduled to practice again Thursday before public performances Friday and Saturday.