WEST POINT, NEW YORK, US (MAY 24, 2025) (ANADOLU-ACCESS ALL) COMPLETE SHOTLIST TO FOLLOW WEST POINT, NEW YORK, US - MAY 24: U.S. President Donald Trump delivered his first military commencement speech since returning to office, addressing the 2024 graduating class of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point on Saturday, May 24. Wearing his signature red "Make America Great Again" hat, Trump praised the cadets as future leaders of what he described as the most powerful military force in history. He highlighted his administration's efforts to rebuild and strengthen the armed forces. The president stated that his administration was eliminating unnecessary distractions to refocus the military on its primary objective: decisively defeating adversaries, neutralizing threats to the nation, and ensuring unprecedented protection of American values. He criticized previous administrations for diverting military resources toward social initiatives while, in his view, neglecting border security and depleting military stockpiles in foreign conflicts. Trump outlined a foreign policy approach prioritizing absolute military superiority, emphasizing that the armed forces must be prepared to overpower any opponent and eliminate threats to U.S. interests globally at any time. He expressed confidence that the U.S. military currently commands greater respect than any other armed forces worldwide. Among the 1,002 graduating cadets, 14 were international students representing nations including Kosovo, Qatar, and Poland. In his closing remarks, Trump encouraged the graduates to persevere in the face of challenges before departing to address pressing matters related to Russia and China. He called on the graduating cadets to “never ever give up,” then said he was leaving to deal with matters involving Russia and China. He expressed optimism about continued American success, asserting that with the new generation of military leaders, the nation's defense would remain strong. The speech followed recent tensions between the Trump administration and academic institutions regarding diversity policies. His remarks reinforced his administration's commitment to military expansion and a firm stance against international threats, reflecting an ongoing shift in U.S. defense priorities. Writing by Sibel Uygun