President Donald Trump turned what was supposed to be a commencement address to graduating Coast Guard cadets into a lengthy political rally Wednesday, using part of his speech to attack former President Joe Biden while boasting about his own administration’s accomplishments.
Speaking at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut, Trump veered away from traditional remarks about service and leadership and instead launched into a five-minute political detour centered on immigration, crime, the economy, and tariffs.
“We can never forget the sins of what they did to our country,” Trump said while criticizing the Biden administration’s handling of the southern border. “But we are getting them out.”
Trump claimed his administration had already deported 11,888 murderers who entered the country illegally and boasted that during one recent 11-month stretch “not one illegal alien was able to get into our country.”
The remarks drew applause from portions of the audience.
“They can come in, but they have to come in legally,” Trump continued. “They have to come in through a process. They have to love our country. They have to show us they can love our country, not that they want to blow up our country.”
The president also touted what he described as record-low murder rates and historically strong employment numbers under his administration.
“We have more people having great jobs today than at any time in the history of the United States,” Trump told the graduates.
He further claimed the country had attracted “$18 trillion” in new investment during the first 11 months of his presidency, comparing it favorably to what he said was approximately $1 trillion brought in during Biden’s four years in office.
“We have the American dream back,” Trump declared. “You didn’t hear about the American dream too much for four years.”
Trump also returned to one of his longtime favorite subjects: tariffs.
Joking about past criticism over calling “tariff” his favorite word, Trump mocked the media for objecting that he should have said words like “wife,” “family,” or “Bible” instead.
“The fake news got very upset,” Trump said. “So now I say tariff is one of my top five favorite words. Now I’m okay.”
The speech once again highlighted Trump’s tendency to blend official government appearances with campaign-style political messaging, even during ceremonial events traditionally viewed as nonpartisan.
While previous presidents have occasionally touched on politics during military academy speeches, critics have increasingly accused Trump of using such events to settle political scores and rally supporters rather than focus solely on honoring military graduates and their service.
Still, Trump’s remarks were met with cheers from many in attendance, reflecting the continued loyalty he commands among large portions of his political base and conservative audiences.
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