Speech to US baseball team by Navy SEAL who killed Osama bin Laden prompts liberal backlash

Mason Miller struck out Canada's Otto Lopez to help the United States advance to the World Baseball Classic semifinals.

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 ahead of their World Baseball Classic quarterfinal game against Canada Friday. 

Team USA beat Canada 5-3 to advance to the semifinals after O'Neill's pep talk. But the speech also received criticism from left-wing social media users within and beyond the U.S. 

Many who criticized the speech condemned its pro-war messaging and association of war with American values. 

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Edouard Julien of Canada slides into second base against Brice Turang of the United States during the fifth inning at Daikin Park March 13, 2026, in Houston, Texas.  (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

Other Americans praised the speech and fired back at the critics. 

"It’s unfathomable that the comment section is filled with people upset about an American hero telling a team representing America about a heroic story about a mission his team accomplished. We went from a patriotic country post 9/11 to a country full of terrorist sympathizers," one X user wrote.

Another user wrote, "Epic! Well played by @USABaseball. American hero and legend in the clubhouse." 

TEAM USA BASEBALL MANAGER MARK DEROSA RESPONDS TO CRITICISM AMID MOUNTING CONTROVERSY

Manager Mark DeRosa of Team USA during the singing of the national anthem before a game against Great Britain at Daikin Park March 7, 2026, in Houston, Texas.  (Gabriella Ricciardi/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

The U.S. will play the Dominican Republic in a WBC semifinal Sunday. 

The win over Canada marked the third