Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

‘I thought it was a joke’: Ex-Navy Seal responds to Delta Airlines ban over maskless selfie

Veteran credited with shot that killed Osama bin Laden 

Louise Hall
Saturday 29 August 2020 17:25 BST
Comments
Ex-Navy SEAL credited with killing bin Laden says mask-less selfie was a joke

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

The former Navy Seal credited with killing Osama bin Laden who was banned from Delta Air Lines after posting a selfie of him not wearing a mask on one of their planes has said the photo was a “joke”.

Robert O’Neill, 44, a former US Navy SEAL Team Six member, discussed the controversy on the Chris Salcedo Show on Wednesday.

Mr O’Neil said he was “peacefully protesting” the “hypocrisy” of the mask policy surrounding mealtimes on the flight and that the post was a “joke”.

“I was thinking, if I can’t wear it while I’m drinking and eating, what if I’m drinking and eating the entire flight?” he said. “So I just snapped a quick selfie.”

He added: “I was just pointing out that ... you need to wear a mask to protect us all unless you’re having something to eat, and it was snack time on Delta Airlines.”

“I thought it was, you know, kind of a joke.”

The veteran had tweeted an image of himself on a flight where he was seen smiling in his seat without a mask, which has since been deleted. “I’m not a p***y,” he wrote in the caption.

The image sparked a backlash and was shared widely online spurring Delta Air Lines to ban him from future flights.

“I just got banned from @Delta for posting a picture. Wow,” Mr O’Neill wrote on Twitter, announcing the ban.

A spokesperson for Delta Air Lines previously confirmed to The Independent that Mr O’Neill has been banned from the airline.

"It's not like I blew the rules off,” Mr O’Neil said in the interview. “It got way way out of hand."

Some Twitter users assumed that the photo was a dig at a man in the background of the photo, who was wearing a USMC (United States Marine Corps) hat while wearing a mask.

Mr O’Neil restated that this was not the case. “It was not a dig at the Marine Corps. I love the Marine Corps,” he said.

The Centres for Disease Control affirms that “cloth face coverings are a critical tool in the fight against Covid-19 that could reduce the spread of the disease, particularly when used universally within communities.”

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in