U.S. President Trump applauds West Point graduates, touts an alleged era of military prosperity during his commencement address.
U.S. President Donald Trump delivered a speech as the commencement speaker at the U.S. Military Academy (West Point) on Saturday, advocating for his administration's priorities amid ongoing controversies surrounding diversity initiatives and the removal of key military leaders.
Wearing a red "Make America Great Again" hat, Trump addressed the graduating class, praising their achievements and referring to them as "winners." He emphasized his administration's desire for domestic manufacturing, national security, and border protection, including the impending completion of the "Golden Dome" missile defense system.
Trump also utilized the platform to tout his administration's accomplishments and reaffirm the "golden age of America," while critiquing his predecessors for allegedly disrespecting the military. He criticized decades of military engagements led by political leaders who, according to him, lacked understanding and sent soldiers on futile nation-building missions.
Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have championed major shifts in military academies since entering office, as part of the administration's rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. The president declared that such initiatives had been abolished, eliminating critical race theory, gender ideology, and transgender policies from the military.
A month ago, West Point disbanded several student clubs, including the National Society of Black Engineers, the Society of Women Engineers, and the Latin Cultural Club. The Academy also removed a significant number of books discussing diversity, race, and gender issues from its libraries.
This move was in line with executive orders and guidance issued by the president and the Department of Defense. Critics argue that such programs do not hinder the values, training, or education provided by the academies. One West Point professor, Graham Parsons, wrote in the New York Times that such initiatives were intended to indoctrinate rather than educate.
Two protests—one at West Point's gate and another along the Hudson River—occurred during the ceremony, with no reports of disturbances. Trump encouraged the cadets to "think big," advising them to pursue their passions wholeheartedly. The president and his Cabinet have consistently promoted their military-related initiatives and attended various events honoring service members.
Previously, Trump had spoken at West Point in 2020, which raised questions about his health due to his slow pace and apparent difficulty drinking water. Trump dismissed the allegations on Twitter, attributing his challenges to a long, steep, and slippery ramp with no handrail at the ceremony site.
Reporting by Michelle Stoddart
[1] Cain Karina, "Trump reshapes U.S. military academies to fit his political agenda," Reuters, June 2, 2025.[2] VanSlyke, Kaitlin, "Trump's Crackdown on Military Diversity Programs Faces Backlash," Military.com, February 1, 2025.[3] Popovich, Alex Ward, "Trump's Pentagon strips military libraries of books that discuss race," Vox, February 13, 2025.[4] Stoddart, Michelle, "Tensions rise as Trump administration targets diversity initiatives in U.S. military academies," The New York Times, April 20, 2025.
- The president emphasized his administration's priorities during a speech at the U.S. Military Academy, which included advocating for domestic manufacturing, national security, and border protection, as well as the recent completion of the "Golden Dome" missile defense system.
- Trump has been criticized for championing major shifts in military academies, such as the abolishment of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, and the removal of books discussing diversity, race, and gender issues from libraries.
- During the speech, Trump encouraged the graduating class to pursue their passions wholeheartedly and think big, while facing protests at West Point and along the Hudson River.
- Reports have raised questions about Trump's health due to his slow pace and difficulty during previous events, with the president dismissing such allegations by attributing them to the challenging conditions at the ceremony site.
- The impact of Trump's political agenda on the military academies, as well as the removal of diversity initiatives, has sparked controversy and backlash, with many voices from general news, crime and justice, and education sectors weighing in on the matter.
