Overview
- Former SEAL Team Six member Robert J. O’Neill spoke in Team USA’s clubhouse before the World Baseball Classic quarterfinal against Canada.
- O’Neill recounted the 2011 Abbottabad raid and emphasized preparation, teamwork, and calm decision-making in his pep talk.
- Team USA defeated Canada 5-3 to advance to the semifinals and is scheduled to face the Dominican Republic on Sunday.
- The speech drew criticism from left-leaning social media users for its war framing, while others praised the message and Team USA’s decision.
- O’Neill has publicly claimed he killed Osama bin Laden during the raid, and manager Mark DeRosa noted that hockey star Jack Hughes also sent a pregame message to the team.