Trump ends 'absurd experiments' in military service address
President Donald Trump declared on Saturday at the United States Military Academy at West Point that military service would no longer be subject to "absurd ideological experiments" or "nation-building crusades."
Addressing about 1,000 cadets at the end of the academic year, Trump emphasized that they were the first graduates who would serve in the nation's "golden age." He attributed this to his efforts to rebuild the military and transform American society.
The President assured that the "nation-building crusades" in countries that "wanted nothing to do with us," as well as leadership subjecting soldiers to "absurd ideological experiments," were over.
As noted by the "New York Times," the President referred to his program of cleansing the government, military, and virtually every aspect of life of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, arguing that "the nation is worth fighting for again."
Trump credited himself for building a military "better than ever before." He claimed this increased the number of recruits, morale, and commitment to protecting America first. According to the President, his predecessors "subjected the armed forces to all manner of social projects and political causes, while leaving our borders undefended and depleting our arsenals to fight other countries’ wars."
- All of that’s ended. It’s ended strongly. They’re not even allowed to think about it anymore - he concluded.
"You will become officers in the greatest and most powerful army"
"NYT" noted that Trump also aimed to reform the military by making its ranks less diverse. He removed a four-star Black general from the position of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and discharged high-ranking women. He also prohibited transgender people from serving in the military.
We’re getting rid of the distractions and we’re focusing our military on its core mission: crushing America’s adversaries, killing America’s enemies and defending our great American flag like it has never been defended before. The job of the U.S. armed forces is not to host drag shows, to transform foreign cultures but to spread democracy to everybody around the world, at the point of a gun ... And you will become officers in the greatest and most powerful army the world has ever known. And I know, because I rebuilt that army, and I rebuilt the military - the President concluded.
He praised projects, including new "brand new, beautiful planes" and the Golden Dome missile defence initiative.
The New York daily reminded readers that Trump never served in the military and avoided the draft for the Vietnam War, citing "bone spurs" in his foot as the reason.
