Daniel Penny all smiles alongside Donald Trump and JD Vance in Army-Navy game suite

Daniel Penny was all smiles as he joined President-elect Donald Trump at the Army-Navy game Saturday. 

The Marine veteran, who was acquitted on Monday of criminally negligent homicide over the death of Jordan Neely, joined Trump's loyal MAGA gang after accepting an invite to the annual game by soon-to-be Vice President JD Vance. 

Penny, 26, gathered in Trump's suite at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland along with Vance, Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Director of National Intelligence nominee Tulsi Gabbard, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. 

The 45th president and Vance both made sure to greet Penny personally as the trio posed for pictures inside the suite. 

On Friday, Vance called Penny 'a good guy' as he took to X to reveal why he chose to personally invite him to the game over the weekend. 

'Daniel's a good guy, and New York's mob district attorney tried to ruin his life for having a backbone,' Vance wrote. 

'I'm grateful he accepted my invitation and hope he's able to have fun and appreciate how much his fellow citizens admire his courage.' 

Gabbard, who referred to Penny as 'courageous', recalled how 'special' it was to have him there.  

'Standing alongside courageous Americans like Daniel Penny was special, as he embodies the courage of our nation’s warriors, both in and out of uniform,' she told the New York Post. 

'This game is not just about football; it’s a heartfelt tribute to service and unity, reminding us of the sacrifices made for our freedoms.' 

Thomas Kenniff, Penny's head attorney, told the outlet that the Long Island native was 'very humbled and grateful to be invited.'

Penny was arrested in May 2023 after he held Neely, a Michael Jackson impersonator, in a chokehold for a duration that resulted in the victim's death.

After a bombshell decision to drop the manslaughter charge on December 6, the jury returned days later where they decided that Penny did not commit criminally negligent homicide by subduing Neely. 

A day after being found not guilty, Penny sat down with Judge Jeanine Pirro and revealed that he would have felt responsible 'if someone did get hurt' after the homeless man threatened to kill people onboard the train. 

'The guilt I would've felt if someone did get hurt, if he did do what he was threatening to do, I would never be able to live with myself,' Penny said. 

He told the former judge that he felt that he was 'in a very vulnerable position' as he held Neely back on the floor of an F train.

'He was just threatening to kill people. He was threatening to go to jail forever, go to jail for the rest of his life, and now I'm on the ground with him.

'I'm on my back in a very vulnerable position... If I just let him go, now I'm on my back and he can turn around and start doing what he said - to me... killing, hurting,' Penny explained.

Although the case sparked whirlwind attention across the nation, Penny said he is 'not a confrontational person' and someone who prefers to stay out of the spotlight. 

'I really don’t extend myself. This type of thing is very uncomfortable. All this attention and lime light is very uncomfortable.

'I didn't want any attention or praise, and I still don't,' he said, adding that he's come to terms with it because his actions saved the lives of others.

'And I'll take a million court appearances and people calling me names and people hating me just to keep one of those people from getting hurt, or killed.'

The case itself and Penny's ultimate acquittal enraged BLM activists, who instantly called for revenge in the form of black vigilantes.

During his interview, Penny also mentioned the 'self-serving' officials who used the fatal incident as part of a 'political game'.

Despite not mentioning anyone directly, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, who spearheaded the case against Penny, has come under fire since the verdict was announced.

'These are their policies. And I don’t mean to get political, I really don’t’ want to make any enemies, really — although I guess I have already,' he told Pirro.

'But these are their policies that have clearly not worked, that the people, the general population, are not in support. Yet, their egos are too big to agree that they’re wrong.'

After walking free, the 26-year-old quickly dashed to a downtown bar to celebrate his win with his lawyers and ponder his next move.

Even before the verdict came back, there were calls from Republicans for him to be heralded a hero.

Rep. Eli Crane, R-Arizona has been so impressed by Penny and his swift action against Neely that, according to Fox, he wants to award him Congress’ highest civilian honor - a Congressional Gold Medal. 

‘Daniel Penny’s actions exemplify what it means to stand against the grain to do right in a world that rewards moral cowardice,’ he said.

He went on to describe the justice system as ‘corrupt’ and one which ‘allows degenerates to steamroll our laws and our sense of security, while punishing the righteous.

Vivek Ramaswamy - who will co-lead Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with Musk - donated $10,000 to Daniel Penny's staggering legal fund, which has since reached $3million. 

He has also repeatedly spoken out about Neely's lengthy rap sheet, accusing the Manhattan District Attorney's office of sharing 'responsibility for his death for creating an anti law enforcement culture.' 

Neely was once among the city’s corps of subway and street performers and was known for his Michael Jackson impersonations. He struggled with drug abuse and a mental illness, and had a criminal record that included assault convictions. 

Penny faced 15 years in prison for charges of second-degree manslaughter and criminally-negligent homicide after the incident on the subway car last spring, which was partially recorded and sparked a passionate national debate.

After finding him not guilty, cheering and clapping erupted in the courtroom by some, while Neely's family yelled horrendous threats, calling Penny a 'racist c**t' and warning: 'It's a small world, buddy,' before being escorted out. 

Penny's lawyers argued he acted in self-defense and in defense of other passengers after Neely terrorized their subway car and threatened them, but prosecutors say he overstepped into vigilantism and criminally killed Neely with a chokehold. 

With the trial out of the way, Penny is free to return his attention to his studies. When he was charged, he was studying architecture at the New York City College of Technology.

He was also working two jobs – one as a swim teacher and also at a restaurant in Brooklyn – which he gave up to focus on the trial.

He is also not completely out of the woods after Neely's family filed a civil lawsuit against Penny last week. 

Penny's legal team, Kenniff and Steven Raiser, said they will immediately set their sights on the lawsuit against their client.