Rhode Island State Police trooper injured escorting Hegseth motorcade

A Rhode Island State Police trooper suffered minor injuries Monday morning after losing control of his motorcycle escorting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s motorcade toward Newport for his speech at the U.S. Naval War College.

Tyler Chabot, who is assigned to the department’s Motorcycle Unit, was traveling east on Route 403 in North Kingstown when his motorcycle went down at around 9:40 a.m., Lt. Col. Erik Yanyar confirmed in an email to Rhode Island Current. 

Chabot was taken to Rhode Island Hospital in Providence to get treated for his injuries. A spokesperson for the hospital was not immediately available to comment.

Hegseth attacks civilian-led education in Naval War College speech

No other vehicles were involved, including those in Hegseth’s motorcade, Yanyar said. The motorcade continued without interruption, and Hegseth arrived on time to deliver his speech decrying ideologies that have taken hold of America’s senior service colleges.

Hegseth in the outset of his speech thanked the trooper for his service.

“These guys and their motorcycles are racing up and down the freeway to block the next exit, risking their own life and limb to defend our movement,” Hegseth said. “They do that without seeking the spotlight and knowing that no one’s putting their name in headlines, yet I believe (they) are the true heroes of our society.”