Daily Mail: Trump calls for West Point cadets to be 'part of one team and one family, proudly serving one American nation' as he condemns the 'evil of slavery' during his commencement address - in veiled reference to George Floyd unrest
* Donald Trump arrived at West Point to address the graduating class at the U.S. Military Academy Saturday
* He said the class of 2020 come 'from every race, religion, color, and creed' but must be 'one team'
* He said the US is not 'the policeman of the world' but if 'threatened, we will never hesitate to act'
* Direct mention of Floyd or the ongoing protests across America were notably absent from his speech
* Yet he congratulated the US army for helping win the battle against 'the evil of slavery' and in the battle for civil rights - despite some West Point graduates fighting for the Confederacy in the Civil War
* Trump made a dig at China over the 'invisible enemy' of the coronavirus pandemic from the 'distant land'
* Tensions between the White House and the military have escalated amid protests over Floyd's death
* Trump has clashed with several top military officials, including Defense Secretary Mark Esper who publicly opposed Trump's call to use active-duty troops to crack down on the demonstrations
* Gen. Mark Milley, the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, said Thursday it had been 'a mistake' for him to join Trump at the infamous St. John's Church photo op where protesters were teargassed from their paths
* The West Point ceremony was also mired in controversy after 15 West Point cadets tested positive for coronavirus after they were summoned to return so Trump could go ahead with the ceremony
* Hundreds of West Point alumni sent a letter to the graduates blasting Trump's politicization of the military
Donald Trump called for the 1,100 West Point graduates to be 'part of one team, and one family, proudly serving one American nation' during his commencement address, in what appeared to be a veiled reference to the nationwide George Floyd protests and amid his own tensions with the Pentagon over his infamous photo op in Washington DC.
The class of 2020 come 'from every race, religion, color, and creed' but must be 'one team' as they graduate into a 'crucial time in American history', Trump said.
'When times are turbulent, when the road is rough what matters most is that which is permanent, timeless, enduring and eternal.'
The president arrived to give the Commencement Address at the historic Parade Field at the US Military Academy in New York Saturday morning, regaling an impassioned speech where he skipped over any direct reference to Floyd or the ongoing civil unrest, vowed the US military will not be the 'policeman of the world' and launched a fresh attack on China over the coronavirus pandemic.
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More News On President Trump's Speech To West Point
Trump to West Point grads: 'We are ending the era of endless wars' -- Reuters
Trump Hails 'Durability of Institutions' at West Point Commencement -- WSJ
Trump addresses a socially distanced West Point graduation -- CNN
Trump highlights ‘evils of slavery’ in speech to military graduates -- PA News
Trump gives West Point address amid tensions with military leaders -- The Guardian
Trump addresses military cadets amid Pentagon tensions -- Al Jazeera
1 comment:
I think President Trump's opposition to unending wars is what is fueling his opposition within the defense establishment and within his administration.
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