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| Trump Speaks at West Point Graduation Amid Tensions With Military Leaders | Trump Speaks at West Point Graduation Amid Tensions With Military Leaders |
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| President Trump told the Army’s newest officers on Saturday that they will not have to serve in “endless wars” being waged in “far away lands,” but made no mention of his thwarted effort in recent days to deploy the active-duty military to the streets of American cities over the objections of Pentagon leaders. | President Trump told the Army’s newest officers on Saturday that they will not have to serve in “endless wars” being waged in “far away lands,” but made no mention of his thwarted effort in recent days to deploy the active-duty military to the streets of American cities over the objections of Pentagon leaders. |
| In a commencement ceremony at the United States Military Academy at West Point that had been postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic before the president insisted on moving forward with it, Mr. Trump presented himself as a staunch supporter of the armed forces who has increased spending on tanks, aircraft and other weapons even as he said they should not be used in fruitless foreign conflicts. | In a commencement ceremony at the United States Military Academy at West Point that had been postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic before the president insisted on moving forward with it, Mr. Trump presented himself as a staunch supporter of the armed forces who has increased spending on tanks, aircraft and other weapons even as he said they should not be used in fruitless foreign conflicts. |
| “We are ending the era of endless wars,” Mr. Trump said. “In its place is a renewed cleareyed focus on defending America’s vital interests. It is not the duty of U.S. troops to solve ancient conflicts in far away lands that many people have never even heard of. We are not the policeman of the world. But let our enemies be on notice: If our people are threatened, we will never, ever hesitate to act. And when we fight from now on, we will only fight to win.” | “We are ending the era of endless wars,” Mr. Trump said. “In its place is a renewed cleareyed focus on defending America’s vital interests. It is not the duty of U.S. troops to solve ancient conflicts in far away lands that many people have never even heard of. We are not the policeman of the world. But let our enemies be on notice: If our people are threatened, we will never, ever hesitate to act. And when we fight from now on, we will only fight to win.” |
| The president’s address skirted the more acute issue of the last few days as he threatened to order active-duty troops to put down demonstrations against racial injustice that have been predominantly peaceful but marred at times by looting and rioting. Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper and Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, successfully resisted the president, leaving a deep schism between the commander in chief and the military. | The president’s address skirted the more acute issue of the last few days as he threatened to order active-duty troops to put down demonstrations against racial injustice that have been predominantly peaceful but marred at times by looting and rioting. Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper and Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, successfully resisted the president, leaving a deep schism between the commander in chief and the military. |
| Mr. Trump alluded to the national reckoning over race following the killing of George Floyd only elliptically by noting that West Point graduates were among those who “fought and won a bloody war to extinguish the evil of slavery” during the Civil War and were “at the forefront of ending the terrible injustice of segregation” during the civil rights era. | Mr. Trump alluded to the national reckoning over race following the killing of George Floyd only elliptically by noting that West Point graduates were among those who “fought and won a bloody war to extinguish the evil of slavery” during the Civil War and were “at the forefront of ending the terrible injustice of segregation” during the civil rights era. |
| “What has historically made America unique is the durability of its institutions against the passions and prejudices of the moment,” Mr. Trump told the cadets. “When times are turbulent, when the road is rough, what matters most is that which is permanent, timeless, enduring and eternal.” | “What has historically made America unique is the durability of its institutions against the passions and prejudices of the moment,” Mr. Trump told the cadets. “When times are turbulent, when the road is rough, what matters most is that which is permanent, timeless, enduring and eternal.” |
| The president’s critics have condemned him for exploiting the military and for forcing West Point to hold commencement in person when other schools canceled theirs. Hundreds of protesters gathered outside West Point on Saturday, holding signs like “Cadets Aren’t Props” and “Welcome Cadet Bone Spurs.” Others showed support for the Black Lives Matter movement. | The president’s critics have condemned him for exploiting the military and for forcing West Point to hold commencement in person when other schools canceled theirs. Hundreds of protesters gathered outside West Point on Saturday, holding signs like “Cadets Aren’t Props” and “Welcome Cadet Bone Spurs.” Others showed support for the Black Lives Matter movement. |
| Laura Vetter, an instructor for 18 years at West Point before retiring last fall, was among those who said she was protesting on behalf of West Point graduates who are not allowed to make political statements in uniform. “The day I retired my muzzle came off,” she said. | Laura Vetter, an instructor for 18 years at West Point before retiring last fall, was among those who said she was protesting on behalf of West Point graduates who are not allowed to make political statements in uniform. “The day I retired my muzzle came off,” she said. |
| Tsui Pappas and her son Armand Pappas said they were protesting partly in honor of two graduating cadets they declined to name. “I’m here to protest for Black Lives Matter but also to honor their graduation,” Armand Pappas said. “They can’t be here to protest even though I know they’d like to.” | Tsui Pappas and her son Armand Pappas said they were protesting partly in honor of two graduating cadets they declined to name. “I’m here to protest for Black Lives Matter but also to honor their graduation,” Armand Pappas said. “They can’t be here to protest even though I know they’d like to.” |
| Inside the gates, it was a commencement ceremony like none other in the 218-year history of West Point. Graduating cadets who had been isolated for 14 days in advance of the event marched onto the field in their dress gray-and-white uniforms and face masks. They sat in white folding chairs spaced six feet apart, at which point they were allowed to take their masks off. The West Point band played with plexiglass shields to protect against the virus. | Inside the gates, it was a commencement ceremony like none other in the 218-year history of West Point. Graduating cadets who had been isolated for 14 days in advance of the event marched onto the field in their dress gray-and-white uniforms and face masks. They sat in white folding chairs spaced six feet apart, at which point they were allowed to take their masks off. The West Point band played with plexiglass shields to protect against the virus. |
| Rather than march onto stage to shake the president’s hand as is customary, the cadets instead saluted the commander in chief from below the stage as their names were called. Mr. Trump saluted back. No family or friends were allowed to attend, but the cadets were permitted to throw their caps into the air as is traditional. | Rather than march onto stage to shake the president’s hand as is customary, the cadets instead saluted the commander in chief from below the stage as their names were called. Mr. Trump saluted back. No family or friends were allowed to attend, but the cadets were permitted to throw their caps into the air as is traditional. |
| Neither Mr. Esper nor General Milley were on hand, although officials said their decisions not to attend were made before the latest conflict with the president. Mr. Esper, a West Point graduate, sent a video congratulations played on jumbo video screens on the field. | Neither Mr. Esper nor General Milley were on hand, although officials said their decisions not to attend were made before the latest conflict with the president. Mr. Esper, a West Point graduate, sent a video congratulations played on jumbo video screens on the field. |
| Mr. Trump included in his speech some of his favorite claims from the campaign trail, including taking credit for rebuilding a military that he characterized as “totally depleted” when he took over and investing “over two trillion — trillion, that’s with a T — dollars” in the armed forces. As he often does, he exaggerated. Military spending has increased substantially since he took office, from $607 billion a year to $713 billion, but in using the $2 trillion claim Mr. Trump gave himself credit for the entire military budgets over three years rather than just the increases. | |
| Likewise, he hailed himself for victory in the battle against the Islamic State in the Middle East. “The savage ISIS caliphate has been 100 percent destroyed under the Trump administration and its barbaric leader al Baghdadi is gone, killed, over,” he said. While it is true that American forces killed Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and recaptured territory it once held, the terrorist organization has carried out a series of attacks in Syria and Iraq over the last two months. | Likewise, he hailed himself for victory in the battle against the Islamic State in the Middle East. “The savage ISIS caliphate has been 100 percent destroyed under the Trump administration and its barbaric leader al Baghdadi is gone, killed, over,” he said. While it is true that American forces killed Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and recaptured territory it once held, the terrorist organization has carried out a series of attacks in Syria and Iraq over the last two months. |
| The president’s appearance at West Point came at a fraught moment in the history of civilian-military relations in the United States. Mr. Esper and General Milley, both appointed to their positions by Mr. Trump, resisted the president’s demands to send active-duty troops into the streets, first in an Oval Office meeting that turned into a heated argument and later in public comments. | The president’s appearance at West Point came at a fraught moment in the history of civilian-military relations in the United States. Mr. Esper and General Milley, both appointed to their positions by Mr. Trump, resisted the president’s demands to send active-duty troops into the streets, first in an Oval Office meeting that turned into a heated argument and later in public comments. |
| The tension was accentuated by the president’s walk through Lafayette Square to St. John’s Church after peaceful protesters were forcibly pushed out by riot police, a photo op that both Mr. Esper and General Milley joined to their later regret amid vociferous criticism from retired military officers like Jim Mattis, the Marine general who served as Mr. Trump’s first defense secretary. | The tension was accentuated by the president’s walk through Lafayette Square to St. John’s Church after peaceful protesters were forcibly pushed out by riot police, a photo op that both Mr. Esper and General Milley joined to their later regret amid vociferous criticism from retired military officers like Jim Mattis, the Marine general who served as Mr. Trump’s first defense secretary. |
| Mr. Trump wanted to fire Mr. Esper after he spoke out publicly against invoking the Insurrection Act of 1807 to send active-duty troops into the streets but was advised against it by aides who feared it would be a political debacle. General Milley, for his part, considered resigning before opting against it for now but made a point of publicly apologizing for participating in the president’s church photo op because it inserted the military leadership into a partisan event. | Mr. Trump wanted to fire Mr. Esper after he spoke out publicly against invoking the Insurrection Act of 1807 to send active-duty troops into the streets but was advised against it by aides who feared it would be a political debacle. General Milley, for his part, considered resigning before opting against it for now but made a point of publicly apologizing for participating in the president’s church photo op because it inserted the military leadership into a partisan event. |
| The friction grew over the last few days as Mr. Esper, General Milley and other military leaders signaled that they were open to renaming Army installations named after Confederate generals, including Fort Bragg, Fort Hood and Fort Benning, as part of a broader effort to address the legacy of racism in the armed forces. | The friction grew over the last few days as Mr. Esper, General Milley and other military leaders signaled that they were open to renaming Army installations named after Confederate generals, including Fort Bragg, Fort Hood and Fort Benning, as part of a broader effort to address the legacy of racism in the armed forces. |
| But Mr. Trump, who never served in the military and avoided the Vietnam War citing bone spurs in his foot, slapped down the Pentagon by rejecting the idea, suggesting it would be insulting to the troops who trained at those bases and then went off to fight in overseas wars. | But Mr. Trump, who never served in the military and avoided the Vietnam War citing bone spurs in his foot, slapped down the Pentagon by rejecting the idea, suggesting it would be insulting to the troops who trained at those bases and then went off to fight in overseas wars. |
| The issue has resonance at West Point, where Gen. Robert E. Lee was both a cadet and later superintendent. The Confederate icon remains honored on campus, with a gate, a road and a barracks named after him and his portrait on display. Some critics, including veterans, have called for his name to be removed from the campus. | The issue has resonance at West Point, where Gen. Robert E. Lee was both a cadet and later superintendent. The Confederate icon remains honored on campus, with a gate, a road and a barracks named after him and his portrait on display. Some critics, including veterans, have called for his name to be removed from the campus. |
| Mr. Trump made no mention of the issue during his speech, but did single out Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, the Union commander, for praise, although mispronounced his first name as “Ulysseus.” | Mr. Trump made no mention of the issue during his speech, but did single out Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, the Union commander, for praise, although mispronounced his first name as “Ulysseus.” |
| The president’s desire to deliver a commencement address at West Point in person was already a contentious decision. Cadets were sent home in March because of the coronavirus but after Mr. Trump announced that he would go through with plans for a speech they were ordered back to campus and quarantined in their dorms for the past 14 days to safely stage the ceremony. | The president’s desire to deliver a commencement address at West Point in person was already a contentious decision. Cadets were sent home in March because of the coronavirus but after Mr. Trump announced that he would go through with plans for a speech they were ordered back to campus and quarantined in their dorms for the past 14 days to safely stage the ceremony. |
| As they awaited Mr. Trump on Saturday, the graduating cadets, who over the past two weeks had been divided into four pods of around 250 each, dining in separate shifts, were assembled into a full crowd in a quad away from the ceremony site. Reunited as a class, few if any appeared at that moment to be trying to maintain social distance as recommended by public health officials. | As they awaited Mr. Trump on Saturday, the graduating cadets, who over the past two weeks had been divided into four pods of around 250 each, dining in separate shifts, were assembled into a full crowd in a quad away from the ceremony site. Reunited as a class, few if any appeared at that moment to be trying to maintain social distance as recommended by public health officials. |
| The ceremony was the first since 1977 that was not held in Michie Stadium, the West Point football venue, because it did not have enough room on the field to keep all 1,107 cadets six feet apart. Instead, it was held on the main parade ground called the Plain with no audience in attendance. | The ceremony was the first since 1977 that was not held in Michie Stadium, the West Point football venue, because it did not have enough room on the field to keep all 1,107 cadets six feet apart. Instead, it was held on the main parade ground called the Plain with no audience in attendance. |
| Mr. Trump marched to the bandstand and cannons fired a 21-gun salute that echoed across the mostly empty field. The unusual seating arrangement put some graduates facing two large screens instead of the stage, even though it was only about 100 feet from their chairs. But it was a visual that a president campaigning for re-election would surely cherish. | Mr. Trump marched to the bandstand and cannons fired a 21-gun salute that echoed across the mostly empty field. The unusual seating arrangement put some graduates facing two large screens instead of the stage, even though it was only about 100 feet from their chairs. But it was a visual that a president campaigning for re-election would surely cherish. |
| Lauren Hard contributed reporting. | Lauren Hard contributed reporting. |