Trump's botched Army-Navy coin toss video goes viral: here's what really happened
It's the sixth straight appearance by Donald Trump at the annual Army-Navy showdown, an arch rivalry that is recognized as one of the longest-standing in college sports
December 15, 2025
In yet another viral social media moment, U.S. President Donald Trump’s "out of the box" coin toss during the Army-Navy football game on Saturday, December 13, sparked a heated online debate.
The buzz erupted when a clip of the toss, tossed in his signature style during the Army-Navy game, surfaced online and instantly went viral.
The 79-year-old president Donald Trump was the guest of honor at the match on Sunday, December 14, upholding the long-standing tradition of presidential participation.
What actually happened on the ground?
When the U.S. president stepped forward for the ceremonial coin toss, his out-of-the-box approach caught the crowd’s attention over there, as reported by the People.
The moment was then instantly seized upon by netizens on social media.
Rather than the president flipping the coin off his thumb in the traditional way, Trump chooses to do it in his way, releasing it from his palm with a brief toss, a move that sparked buzz on social media.
As seen in broadcast footage, a referee asked Trump, while handing over the coin to decide the opening kickoff, “Mr. President, would you do the honors?” Trump then rested the coin in his hand and tossed it upward with a motion that produced little to no spin in the air.
The toss came up in tails, giving the Army Black Knights the call, though the Navy Midshipmen ultimately clinched the victory with a narrow 17-16.
Netizens react
As soon as the footage surfaced across social media platforms, it quickly went viral, garnering millions of views, thus generating a buzz online.
One X (formerly Twitter) user wrote, “The greatest to ever do it. Donald Trump with the finger roll coin toss at the #ArmyNavy game.”
“Commander-in-Chief, present, respected, and unapologetic. Leadership isn’t hidden—it shows up,” added another.
“Talk about making football great again,” quipped the third one.
For the unversed, it’s the sixth straight appearance by Donald Trump at the annual Army-Navy showdown, an arch rivalry that is recognized as one of the longest-standing in college sports.
The tradition is rooted in the era of President Theodore Roosevelt, who began participating in 1901.
