WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump is delivering his first military commencement address since returning to office.
The Republican president is set to speak to West Point’s graduating class on Saturday morning.
During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Trump delivered the commencement address at West Point. In his speech, the president emphasized the importance of honoring the soldiers who fought in a war centered on slavery. This event took place amidst a period of national reflection on racial issues following George Floyd’s tragic death in Minneapolis.
Trump also recognized West Point’s rich history and celebrated its distinguished alumni such as Douglas MacArthur and Dwight D. Eisenhower. The ceremony faced criticism as the Military Academy required graduating cadets, who had returned home due to the pandemic, to come back to an area with high COVID-19 cases five years ago.
In another instance, Trump visited Tuscaloosa, Alabama, recently to deliver a speech at the University of Alabama’s graduation ceremony. His address consisted of the usual commencement topics and advice but also involved political jabs at his predecessor Joe Biden, discussions about transgender athletes, and false claims regarding the 2020 election.
On Friday, Vice President JD Vance spoke to the graduating class at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Vance said in his remarks that Trump is working to ensure U.S. soldiers are deployed with clear goals rather than the “undefined missions” and “open-ended conflicts” of the past.
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