Hegseth praises Blue Angels flyover after low pass sent beachgoers scrambling

Published Jul 16, 03:26 PM UTC

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly endorsed a U.S. Navy Blue Angels flyover over Pensacola Beach, Florida, after a jet flew dangerously low, sending sand, tents, and chairs airborne and causing beachgoers to scream and scramble for cover. The Navy acknowledged the aircraft 'flew lower than standard profiles' and announced a safety review. Former Representative Adam Kinzinger and an ABC reporter called the maneuver unsafe and uncharacteristic. Hegseth responded on social media with 'The flyovers will continue until morale improves' and retweeted posts overlaying the incident video with 'CARRY ON PATRIOTS' and 'American Empire.' The article notes a pattern of Hegseth intervening to overturn safety reviews of military demonstrations, including a July incident involving South Carolina Army National Guard helicopter pilots and a previous case involving pilots performing for Kid Rock.