Graduates of the US Coast Guard Academy received more than just a speech from Donald Trump at their commencement ceremony. The event took a bizarre turn when the president asked a top cadet named Matthew to join him on stage.
Trump Invites Top Cadets On Stage
'Get up, I wanna see this guy,' Trump said. 'I hate good-looking men.' He then called up another cadet, Thomas, who earned a 'perfect score on every single fitness test' while at the academy. 'I wanna check him out,' Trump said. 'We're not gonna fight with him, I'm not fighting him. Look at the muscles on this guy. Just hit him on the shoulder, hurt my hand. Was like hitting a rock.'
Trump also invited a female cadet, Savannah, explaining: 'If I didn't invite her up, they'd accuse me of discrimination. I have to get her up here. She looks so fantastic.'
Political Remarks and Future Plans
The US leader spoke about advancing 'America's national resurgence' and told graduates they 'never leave an American behind.' 'Wherever the duty call, whatever danger comes your way, you will fight, fight, fight, and you will win, win, win,' he said.
Commencement speeches are meant to be non-partisan, but Trump criticized former Democratic President Joe Biden over immigration policies and mentioned running for another term. 'I'm gonna be here in '28. Maybe I'll be here in '32 too. I don't know. Maybe I will.'
Questions About the 22nd Amendment
This is not the first time Trump has appeared to challenge the 22nd Amendment, which limits presidents to two terms. At a small business summit earlier this month, he said: 'When I get out of office in, let's say, eight or nine years from now, I'll be able to use it. I'll be able to use it myself,' referring to his ballroom. He has previously 'joked' about running for life, drawing comparisons to authoritarians like Vladimir Putin, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Xi Jinping.
The 22nd Amendment was added to the Constitution in 1951 after Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected four times. It states: 'No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.' However, questions remain over whether Trump could exploit a loophole since his two terms were not consecutive.
