President Trump’s West Point commencement address championed military strength and traditional values, earning standing ovations as he vowed to end “ideological experiments” in America’s armed forces.
At a Glance
- Trump delivered a passionate commencement speech at West Point, emphasizing America First and military strength
- He doubled down on his Executive Order “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” calling it “common sense”
- The President promised to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs from military operations
- Trump criticized “nation-building crusades” and social justice policies that he claims weakened military readiness
- His speech received enthusiastic applause from cadets, particularly when addressing traditional gender policies
America First Military Vision
President Donald Trump delivered a rousing commencement address to approximately 1,000 graduating cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point on Saturday. The speech centered on his administration’s commitment to rebuilding America’s military power while steering it away from what he characterized as distracting social experiments. Trump told the graduates they were entering service during what he called a “golden age” for America’s armed forces, attributing this renaissance to his policies that prioritize military readiness over political correctness and foreign interventions.
Throughout his address, Trump emphasized a sharp contrast between his military leadership and that of previous administrations. He criticized past “nation-building crusades” in countries that “wanted nothing to do with us” and condemned leadership that subjected service members to what he termed “absurd ideological experiments.” The president outlined his vision for a military focused on defending American interests rather than fighting “other countries’ wars,” a message that resonated with many in attendance based on their enthusiastic response.
Standing Firm on Traditional Gender Policies
A significant portion of Trump’s speech addressed his administration’s stance on gender policies in sports and military settings. The President drew some of the loudest applause when he stated firmly, “And we will not have men playing in women’s sports, if that’s okay.” This declaration referenced his recently signed executive order titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” which has become a cornerstone of his social policy agenda. Trump has actively enforced this directive, challenging institutions like the University of Pennsylvania and University of Maine on their transgender athlete policies.
“Most importantly, you have to have common sense, because most of it’s about common sense when you get right down to it. And we have a lot of people, we have a lot of very smart people, but they have to have common sense, and we’ve liberated our troops from divisive and demeaning political trainings,” said President Trump.
The president cited polling data indicating that approximately 70% of Americans oppose men competing in women’s sports, framing his position as both popular and based on common sense rather than ideology. Trump characterized the practice of allowing biological males to compete against females as “crazy” and “demeaning” to women, statements that drew significant support from the graduating class. His remarks on this issue have become a reliable applause line at his public appearances, particularly with military and conservative audiences.
Eliminating “Divisive” Training Programs
Trump’s address highlighted his administration’s efforts to remove what he described as “divisive and demeaning” training programs from military education. He specifically targeted critical race theory and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, which he has eliminated through executive orders. The president characterized these programs as addressing “systemic racism” in ways that he considers divisive and unpatriotic, arguing instead for a merit-based approach to military advancement and leadership.
Trump promised the cadets that under his leadership, they would not be forced to participate in training based on these theories or transgender policies. Instead, he emphasized a focus on military readiness, combat effectiveness, and traditional values. The president credited his administration with improving recruitment and morale by eliminating what he termed distractions from the core mission of defending America. His message of returning to fundamentals of military service rather than social experimentation appeared to resonate strongly with the West Point audience.
