President Trump Delivers Commencement Address at West Point [Full Speech]

President Donald J. Trump delivers the commencement address at West Point.

[May 24, 2025]

President Trump Addresses the Army Academy’s Class of 2025

Here are the key points from President Trump's address to the West Point Class of 2025:

1. Congratulations and Celebration: Trump congratulates the Class of 2025, emphasizing their achievement as winners and encouraging them to celebrate their graduation from the prestigious U.S. Military Academy.

2. Acknowledgment of Leadership and Faculty: He thanks Superintendent General Stephen Gillen, Commandant General R.J. Garcia, Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll, Army Chief of Staff General Randy George, and other notable figures, as well as the faculty and staff for their dedication to transforming cadets into scholars and soldiers.

3. Recognition of Families and Veterans: Trump acknowledges the pride of parents, grandparents, and families, noting that nearly one-third of the graduating cadets are children of veterans. He honors veterans in the audience and emphasizes the nation’s appreciation for military families.

4. Elite Status of Graduates: He highlights the cadets’ rigorous journey at West Point, describing them as among the smartest, toughest, and most lethal warriors, destined to join the “Long Gray Line” of legendary U.S. military figures like Ulysses S. Grant, Dwight Eisenhower, and Douglas MacArthur.

5. Academic and Physical Achievements: Trump recognizes specific accomplishments, including 26 cadets earning the star wreath for academic excellence, four Rhodes Scholars, eight cadets designing a hypersonic rocket, and Cadet Chris Verdugo setting a world record in an 18.5-mile march.

6. Military Rebuild and National Pride: He claims credit for rebuilding the U.S. military during his first term, emphasizing a $1 trillion investment in new planes, tanks, missiles, and a “Golden Dome Missile Defense Shield” to protect the homeland, asserting that the U.S. military is now the most respected globally.

7. Shift in Military Focus: Trump criticizes past administrations for involving the military in nation-building and ideological experiments, stating his administration has refocused the military on its core mission: defeating adversaries and defending U.S. borders, with a significant reduction in illegal border crossings.

8. Recruitment Success: He notes a turnaround in military recruitment, claiming the Army is surpassing its targets for the first time in 28 years, attributing this to restored national spirit and confidence.

9. Advice to Graduates: Trump offers life advice:
- Do What You Love: Success comes from passion, as exemplified by the cadets’ choice of military service over other lucrative careers.
- Think Big: He encourages solving big problems, citing General Eisenhower’s approach.
- Work Hard: Hard work leads to luck and success, referencing golfer Gary Player.
- Maintain Momentum: He shares a cautionary tale about a businessman losing momentum, emphasizing its importance.
- Take Risks: Innovators like Eisenhower and Billy Mitchell faced resistance but shaped history by thinking differently.
- Never Lose Faith in America: He urges cadets to stay committed to the nation and its people.
- Preserve Culture and Tradition: He stresses the importance of maintaining the Army’s winning culture.

10. Personal Stories and Pardons: Trump pardons cadets for minor conduct offenses, shares stories of individual cadets like Ricky McMahon, whose family has a multi-generational West Point legacy, and highlights athletic achievements, such as the Army lacrosse team’s national ranking and football victories.

11. Global Respect and Victory Days: He claims the U.S. is now the “hottest” country globally, respected by world leaders, and announces new holidays to celebrate U.S. victories in World Wars I and II, noting West Point’s pivotal role.

12. Commitment to Winning: Trump emphasizes a relentless drive to win, urging cadets to never surrender and to lead the Army to new heights during what he calls America’s “Golden Age.”

These points capture the core themes of pride, military strength, national renewal, and personal advice woven throughout the speech.