Trump leads socially distant West Point commencement amid criticism of
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump attended the 2020 commencement ceremony at the U. S. Military Academy in West Point, N. Y., Saturday, despite concerns that his visit would put cadets and other people at risk due to the coronavirus as well as recent criticism from retired military leaders over Trump's response to the protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd.“You came to West Point because you know the truth: America is the greatest country in human history. And the United States Military is the greatest force for peace and justice the world has ever known, ” Trump said Saturday morning during his graduation speech.“What has historically made America unique is the durability of its institutions against the passions and prejudices of the moment. When times are turbulent, when the road is rough, what matters most is that which is permanent, timeless, enduring and eternal, ” Trump continued. Trump promised the class of over 1, 110 cadets that he was “ending the era of endless wars, ” a talking point he has frequently touched on since his 2016 campaign.“It's not the duty of U. troops to solve ancient conflicts in faraway lands, ” Trump said, “we are not the policeman of the world. ”“If our people are threatened, we will never ever hesitate to act, ” Trump said. “And when we fight from now on, we will only fight to win. ”In order to maintain social distancing, Trump did not shake hands or pass out diplomas to graduating cadets. Instead, cadets, who sat 6 feet apart throughout the ceremony, marched to the front of the stage to salute the president. Family and friends were not invited to attend the ceremony but could watch online. Students at the U. Military Academy had been remote learning since spring break due to the coronavirus pandemic. The decision to hold an in-person graduation ceremony with the president sparked health and logistical concerns as more the cadets in the 2020 class had to travel from all over the country back to West Point. Cadets were divided up into different cohorts and instructed to isolate ahead of Trump’s visit. Multiple cadets tested positive for the coronavirus upon returning to campus. The West Point campus is location roughly 50 miles outside of New York City, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the U. S. Critics of the president said he was using Saturday's commencement as an excuse to get out of Washington with little regard for the health and safety of others.“Trump’s reckless decision to gather 1, 000 Cadets at West Point for a speech puts our future military leaders at increased risk—all to stroke his own ego, " Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., an Iraq War Veteran and a member of West Point’s Board of Visitors, said in an April statement when Trump first announced the trip."Our troops need stable, consistent leadership during volatile times like these, not a Commander-in-Chief who values his own photo ops and TV ratings over their health and safety. All data is taken from the source: http://nbcnews.com Article Link: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/dona... #trump #newsexpress #newstodayworld #newstodayupdate #newstodayoncnn #newsworldnow # Trump leads socially distant West Point commencement amid criticism of: • Trump leads socially distant West Point co...
