President Trump praises West Point graduates, touts 'golden age' of US military in commencement speech following the DEI crackdown at military academies
President Trump boasted about the military's accomplishments during his speech.
By Ivan Pereira & Kelsey Walsh
May 25, 2025
President Donald Trump spoke before this year's U.S. Military Academy graduates as their commencement speaker on Saturday amid the administration's crackdown on diversity initiatives and removal of key military leaders.
Trump addressed the crowd while wearing a red "Make America Great Again" hat and brought a few graduates on the stage as he praised their achievements.
"You are the first West Point graduates of the golden age of America," he told the graduates, whom he repeatedly called "winners," to cheers from the crowd.
President Donald Trump salutes during the United States Military Academy commencement ceremonies in West Point, N.Y., May 24, 2025.Adam Gray/AP
The president stressed his administration's agenda to the graduating class, emphasizing his desire to build in America and expressing his commitment to national security and border protection, including the "Golden Dome" missile defense system Trump announced this week.
"It will be completed before I leave office. And you know you wouldn't think this, but our enemies are very unhappy about it," he said.
Trump also took the opportunity to tout his administration's accomplishments and "Golden Age" agenda, reflecting on themes of patriotism, strength and leadership. He also bashed his predecessors, including former President Joe Biden, for what he said was disrespecting the military.
"Each of you is entering the officer corps at a defining moment in the Army's history," he said. "For at least two decades, political leaders from both parties have dragged our military into missions. It was never meant to be.
"In some case, they sent our warriors on nation-building crusades to nations that wanted nothing to do with us, led by leaders that didn't have a clue in distant lands, while abusing our soldiers with absurd ideological experiments here and at home," he added.
The president and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have called for major changes to military academies since assuming office as part of the administration's rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion programs, and these changes took center stage in President Trump's speech.
"We have liberated our troops from divisive and demeaning political trainings," President Trump said.
"There will be no more critical race theory or transgender for everybody forced onto the brave men and women in uniform, or on anybody else for that matter, in this country. We will not have men playing in women's sports."
West Point disbands student clubs related to gender and race
In February, shortly after Hegseth was confirmed by the Senate, West Point disbanded several student clubs, including the National Society of Black Engineers, the Society of Women Engineers, the Latin Cultural Club and the Native American Heritage Forum.
President Donald Trump addresses graduates of the United States Military Academy at West Point in Michie Stadium, on May 24, 2025, in West Point, NY. Michael M. Santiago/Getty
The changes were made "in accordance with recent Presidential Executive Orders, Department of Defense guidance, and the Department of the Army guidance," according to a memo obtained by ABC News.
Also in February, President Trump, who avoided being drafted during the Vietnam War due to what he claimed were bone spurs, dismissed the boards of visitors of military academies, claiming with evidence that the schools were "infiltrated by Woke Leftist Ideologues."
President Donald Trump and US Military Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Steven Gilland listen to the national anthem before Trump delivers the commencement address at the 2025 graduation ceremony at the US Military Academy West Point ,on May 24, 2025, in West Point, New York. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
This winter, 381 books, many of which were written by Black authors or discussed the history of racism, were removed from U.S. Naval Academy libraries because of an order issued in a Pentagon memo.
The U.S. Naval Academy campus is viewed, March 20, 2025, in Annapolis, Md. Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP
The memo mandated that military services were to submit and remove book titles from the libraries of their military educational institutions that touch on diversity, race and gender issues using the Pentagon's specific search terms.
Former West Point teachers and other military members have criticized President Trump and Hegseth for the orders, contending that such programs did not inhibit the values, training and education of the academies.
President Donald Trump delivers the commencement address at the 2025 US Military Academy Graduation Ceremony at West Point, New York, on May 24, 2025. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
"These were brazen demands to indoctrinate, not educate," Graham Parsons, a West Point professor wrote in a May 8 guest essay in the New York Times.
West Point Is Supposed to Educate, Not Indoctrinate
"Whatever you think about various controversial ideas -- Mr. Hegseth's memo cited critical race theory and gender ideology -- students should engage with them and debate their merits rather than be told they are too dangerous even to be contemplated," he added.
In this Oct. 26, 2014, file photo, West Point Military Academy campus is shown. John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images
Two protests took during the ceremony, one outside West Point's gate and another on the Hudson River involving people on boats and there were no reports of any disturbances.
In his speech, President Trump told the cadets to "think big," saying, "You have to do what you love. If you don't love it, you'll never be successful at it."
The president and his Cabinet have promoted their work with the military and attended several events honoring members, in which they have touted high recruiting numbers.
Earlier this month, President Trump hosted military mothers at the White House with First Lady Melania Trump and Second Lady Usha Vance to celebrate Mother's Day.
Next month, President Trump plans to showcase the military and honor service members with a parade throughout Washington, D.C.
He will join veterans, active-duty troops, wounded warriors, Gold Star families and people from across the country as part of America's 250th birthday celebration.
Organizers intend to commemorate the legacy of the U.S. Army while looking ahead to the next 250 years of American patriotism and the military.
In this June 13, 2020, file photo, President Donald Trump delivers the commencement address at the 2020 US Military Academy Graduation Ceremony at West Point, New York. Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images
The president, who has frequently criticized the health of his Democratic opponents, brushed off the criticism in a post on Twitter, now X.
"The ramp that I descended after my West Point Commencement speech was very long & steep, had no handrail and, most importantly, was very slippery," he wrote, despite the weather being sunny during the ceremony.
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