- A US Navy Blue Angels pilot reportedly admitted to miscalculating a turn during an ultra-low-altitude pass over beachgoers in Pensacola, Florida, which sent chairs and umbrellas flying.
- “He didn’t make excuses,” state Rep. Michelle Salzman, whose district includes Pensacola, wrote on Facebook Friday after a conversation with the pilot. “He didn’t try to shift blame. He simply talked about the [sic] miscalculated a turn, something no pilot ever wants to experience, especially one who has dedicated his life to flying at the highest level of precision. More than anything, he talked about the weight he’s been carrying since that moment.”
- Navy Captain Adam Bryan, commander of the Blue Angels, deemed the incident "unsafe" and stated that the team never intends to fly so low over crowds, promising a thorough debrief.
- Officials from the Trump administration, including Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, praised the risky maneuver, dismissing calls for reprimands and celebrating it as "the sound of Freedom".
- Critics, including former aviation safety investigator Jeff Guzzetti and former Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger, condemned the administration for endorsing reckless behavior and turning a safety issue into a partisan debate.
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