A memo signed in November by Defense Secretary Mark Esper spelled out the new guidelines.
Before the game, according to the official pool report, Trump went to the Army locker room before the game, shaking hands with players and slapping them on the shoulder pads as they lined up and walked past him. "So you better go out there and play hard".
Unlike past years, any player from the military academys who wish to pursue a professional football career will not have to wait until their service is completed.
President Trump was welcomed with raucous cheers as he turned out to the Army-Navy game in Philadelphia on Saturday afternoon. The President was thanked by a mic'd referee supervising the toss of a special commemorative coin. Trump said "everybody is thrilled" with the policy.
However, after, Trump couldn't help but indulge in some subtle re-election campaigning, donning his trademark red baseball cap emblazoned with his 2020 slogan "Keep America Great".
Trump posted about attending the game on his Twitter account while en route to Philadelphia.
President Donald Trump throws the coin before the start of the Army-Navy college football game in Philadelphia, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2019. Still wearing the hat, Trump switched to the Army side of the field at half time, as is traditionally done.
Trump didn't address reporters at the White House before departing, as weather forced the president to motorcade to Air Force One rather than take the helicopter and gaggle with reporters on the White House South Lawn. He first made the trip to Baltimore for the 2016 game when he was the president-elect.
Saturday's game marks the 120th time the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, in NY, and United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., have played each other in the historic football rivarly.
Also in attendance on Saturday was Sully, the famous service dog of the late President George.
