President Trump Delivers Commencement Speech at West Point
This morning, President Donald J. Trump is speaking at the United States Military Academy at West Point in New York, marking a pivotal moment in the evolution of U.S. military culture and leadership. The commencement ceremony, steeped in tradition, will see newly commissioned Second Lieutenants shake the President’s hand as they officially join the ranks of the U.S. Army.
The address comes just one day after Vice President JD Vance delivered remarks at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, reflecting the administration’s high-profile support for America’s service academies—now undergoing historic changes under Trump’s leadership.
Abolishing DEI: A New Era for the Military
Trump’s remarks come against the backdrop of his administration’s aggressive dismantling of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs within the armed forces and the academies. Earlier this year, following Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s confirmation, West Point shut down several DEI-associated clubs, including:
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The National Society of Black Engineers
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Society of Women Engineers
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Latin Cultural Club
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Native American Heritage Forum
These changes followed a Presidential Executive Order and guidance from the Department of Defense, aimed at what the administration calls the “de-politicization” of the armed forces.
Recruiting Renaissance
In the face of criticism from leftwing media outlets and certain West Point faculty members, the administration remains defiant. Secretary Hegseth recently praised Trump’s leadership during a cabinet meeting:
“What we have seen since your election and the inauguration has been nothing short of a recruiting Renaissance.”
The administration credits the turnaround to restoring tradition, removing progressive mandates, and welcoming back service members previously forced out over the COVID-19 vaccine.
“We welcomed back all the COVID, the folks who were forced out because of the COVID mandate, ripped wokeness out of the military, Sir—DEI, trans—it’s Fort Benning and Fort Bragg again at the DOD,” said Hegseth.
Protest on the Hudson
Despite the celebration, not everyone is applauding. Two protests are scheduled during the ceremony—one outside the West Point gates and another on the Hudson River, where demonstrators plan to express their opposition via boat. Organizers have not disclosed the expected turnout but say the demonstrations are aimed at highlighting what they call the “erasure of inclusion.”
Trump’s Military Legacy in the Making
Today’s speech is expected to underscore Trump’s military priorities: restoring strength, unity, and tradition within the ranks while rejecting the progressive policies that defined the previous administration’s approach to the armed forces.
With soaring recruitment numbers and a growing base of support among veterans and active-duty personnel, Trump is cementing what many are calling a “Second American Military Renaissance.”
Watch live as history unfolds at West Point—where America’s future warriors take their oaths, and a President reshapes the military for a new era.
