Declaring Thursday that the University of Alabama’s spring graduating class is the first of “the Golden Age of America,” President Trump contended that the students have the potential to produce “the greatest generation” of Americans.
“You’ve done a lot of winning.” At the university renowned for its dominant athletic teams, Trump told the class of 2025, “Winning is a good thing to do.”But today I’m also asking you to look forward to something very, very bright and more promising.”
“And it’s going to be an even more promising tomorrow – I promise you that.”
“You’re the first graduating class of the Golden Age of America,” Trump announced.
As a sign of what lies ahead, the president hailed his historic first three months back in the White House.
“100 days, yesterday, 100 days … and we’ve done things that nobody thought were even possible,” Trump added.
“You’re graduating at an exciting time for our nation,” he continued. “A period of both extraordinary change and incredible potential.”
The nation will experience “unbelievable growth” “very soon,” according to the president’s prediction for the recent grads.
“You’re going to see it starting very, very soon. The whole world is talking about it,” Trump stated.
The commander in chief later voiced hope that graduates would join the “greatest generation” of Americans in history.
“I think you have a chance to be the greatest generation in the history of our country, because we’re turning it around,” Trump stated.
Nick Saban, the famed former football coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, introduced the president.
Regarding the introduction of Trump, the seven-time national championship champion coach remarked, “It’s a special moment for me.”
“But I got to be honest with you,” Saban continued. “I feel like I’m the warm-up band for the Rolling Stones.”
In his remarks, Trump, a huge sports enthusiast, praised Saban and made a lighthearted attempt to get him to come out of retirement.
To thunderous cheers, Trump declared, “Let’s bring him back.”
The president, who is renowned for giving long speeches, only spoke for roughly 56 minutes in Tuscaloosa. This is far less than the longest commencement address ever given, which lasted more than six hours at Harvard College in the early 19th century.
Near the end of his remarks, Trump, who is being sued by Harvard for trying to block billions of dollars in federal funding for the Ivy League school, made light of the esteemed university.
“As the Alabama Class of 2025 graduates stand in front of you in this magnificent arena, it is evident that you, the Crimson Tide, will write the next chapter of the American story, not the Harvard Crimson!” In reference to the Ivy League school’s publication, the president said.
As he gave the students his ten pieces of life advise, Trump also poked fun at his detractors, including former President Barack Obama and Harvard Law graduate.
“Do you remember when they said, ‘Donald Trump would never become president of the United States’? Barack Hussein Obama said that,” Trump remarked, echoing the 44th president’s comments from February 2016.
That’s what fifty other politicians stated. Now, where are they? As he looked theatrically about the Coleman Coliseum, the president went on.
To applause, he remarked, “But here I am standing before you as the 45th and 47th president.”
Trump’s efforts to exclude transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports, which he proclaimed was “done,” also drew thunderous applause.
When Trump elaborated on his counsel to graduates to remember to apply “common sense,” the transgender issue and immigration policy also came up.
Trump’s speech is the first commencement speaker the University of Alabama has invited to speak at graduation ceremonies in eighteen years.
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James T. Stephens, an Alabama businessman, was the school’s final commencement speaker. In the spring of 2007, he used his platform to denounce the US war in Iraq, which drew jeers and even some laughs.
Trump said he was excited to speak at “the Great University of Alabama” prior to his speech.
The president commented on Truth Social, “They put all of their nine Graduations into one, so I better do well. These are tremendous people. I won the State by 45 points.”
The university advertised Trump’s visit as a “special commencement address” that would not interfere with the weekend’s official graduation festivities.
Approximately 6,700 students from Alabama, including its law school, are graduating this spring.
