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Former Navy SEAL Robert J. O’Neill, who was part of the 2011 raid that killed Osama bin Laden, delivered a pregame speech to Team USA players before their World Baseball Classic quarterfinal game against Canada on Friday.
The U.S. team defeated Canada 5-3 to advance to the semifinals after O’Neill’s pep talk. But the speech was also criticized by left-wing social media users in the United States and beyond.
Many of those who criticized the speech condemned its pro-war message and its association of the war with American values.
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Edouard Julien of Canada slides 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.
“It is inconceivable that the comments section is filled with people upset that an American hero is telling a team representing America a heroic story about a mission his team accomplished. We went from a patriotic country after 9/11 to a country full of terrorist sympathizers,” wrote one X user.
Another user wrote: “Epic! Well played by @USABaseball. American hero and legend in the clubhouse.”
U.S. BASEBALL TEAM MANAGER MARK DEROSA RESPONDS TO CRITICISM AMID MOUNTING CONTROVERSY
Mark DeRosa, director of Team USA, during the singing of 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 United States will face the Dominican Republic on Sunday in the WBC semifinals.
The victory against Canada marked the third time in less than a month that the Americans had been crushed. Canadian sporting dreams on the world stage after dramatic victories over Canada in the men’s and women’s Olympic hockey gold medal games last month.
O’Neill wasn’t the only one promoting Team USA before the game.
Team USA manager Mark DeRosa revealed that American hockey hero Jack Hughes, who scored the winning goal in the gold medal game against Canada at the Olympics, contacted American baseball players before 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 boys a nice little message of encouragement that I played in their group chat,” DeRosa said in a news conference Thursday before the game.
“I know there are discussions about sending out hockey jerseys tomorrow so the guys can wear them during BP or while traveling to the clubhouse.”
