Trump Puts Biden’s Military Missteps on Blast at West Point Speech
Echoing his Trump-ian tone at the West Point military commencement ceremony, the President sought to relish in the mighty prowess of the American Armed Forces. He lauded the accomplishments of the West Point cadets, a group set to join what he termed the ‘most elite and storied military academy in human history.’ His comments were directed towards a cadre of individuals destined to form a part of the world’s most powerful army, an army whose sheer might, he claims, was his doing during his first term.
In a spectacle drenched in red, the iconic ‘Make America Great Again’ hat adorned the President’s head as he addressed the graduating cadets. His claims extended to the global stage, where he boasted that the U.S. stands as the ‘hottest country in the world.’ His discourse swirled around the achievements of his administration and unwavering America First dogma when considering the U.S. military.
The U.S. military, according to him, is ‘the greatest fighting force in the history of the world.’ The President expressed interest in shedding what he termed as ‘distractions’ and instead focusing the military’s efforts on its core mission. This mission, he stated, involved ‘crushing America’s adversaries, killing America’s enemies and defending our great American flag like it has never been defended before.’
The President spared no course to express his disdain towards the initiatives undertaken by the previous Biden administration. References were made to drag shows hosted on military bases under his predecessor’s governance, moves heavily criticized by his Republican cohorts and promptly halted under his command.
The President articulated his vision of the Army’s ‘defining moment’ in history, taking jabs at previous political figures for misguided decisions leading American soldiers into avoidable nation-building endeavors with reluctant nations. A pursuit of clearing the military of divisive ideologies such as ‘critical race theory’ and ‘transgender ideas’ was high on the President’s agenda.
Trump launched an onslaught regarding the operational aspects of the armed forces during previous administrations. He accused them of steering social projects and political causes, largely neglecting border defenses, and misappropriating military assets to fight other nations’ strife.
His entire address at West Point blurred the line between a formal military event and a political speech, showcasing the Trump style. This was evident as he made grandiose claims about his first term stating, ‘we had no wars, we had no problems, we had nothing but success, we had the most incredible economy.’
He also leveraged the opportunity to remind the audience of his triumphant emergence from the seven swing states during the November election. He claims that this victory provided him the ‘great mandate’ to govern as he pleases.
However, in the midst of the heated political discourse, he didn’t forget to acknowledge the achievements of specific graduates. Cadet Chris Verdugo was praised for his completion of an 18.5-mile march in astonishing time during a freezing January night.
Continuing the praise, he recognized the exemplary performance of West Point’s lauded lacrosse team. He brought Bryson Daily, West Point’s football quarterback having an impressive record, to the limelight, lavishing praises for his athleticism.
Trump implicitly criticized the acceptance of transgender women in women’s athletics, using the precedence of Daily’s achievements. He also pardoned about half a dozen cadets who had faced disciplinary infractions, an allowance aligned with presidential tradition.
Despite their prestigious degrees, Trump emphasized the honor in their military endeavors, indicating that this path surpasses lucrative opportunities offered by Wall Street or Silicon Valley.
He further emboldened the cadets, urging them to follow their passion, dream big, work hard, preserve their culture, hold faith in America, and dare to take risks. He urged the need for patriots with courage, vision, and integrity, condemning an officer corps filled with careerists and yes men.
He concluded his address by encouraging the graduating cadets to ‘never ever give up.’ Despite this momentous occasion, he quickly stated that he had matters to address involving Russia and China. He ended with a promise to the cadets, stating ‘we’re going to keep winning, this country’s going to keep winning, and with you, the job is easy.’