Trump hails Alabama graduating class as first of the ‘Golden Age’ in commencement speech:
By Victor Nava
President Trump proclaimed Thursday that the University of Alabama’s spring graduating class is the first of “the Golden Age of America,” arguing that the students could become “the greatest generation” of Americans.
“You’ve done a lot of winning. Winning is a good thing to do,” Trump told the class of 2025 at the university known for its powerhouse athletic programs. “But today I’m also asking you to look forward to something very, very bright and more promising.”
US President Donald Trump delivers commencement remarks at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
AFP via Getty Images
Trump proclaimed Thursday that the University of Alabama’s spring graduating class is the first of “the Golden Age of America.”
AP
“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 declared.
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The president touted his historic first three months back in the White House as a beacon of what the future has in store.
“100 days, yesterday, 100 days … and we’ve done things that nobody thought were even possible,” Trump continued.
“You’re graduating at an exciting time for our nation,” he added. “A period of both extraordinary change and incredible potential.”
Attendees applaud US President Donald Trump as he arrives to deliver commencement remarks at the University of Alabama.
AFP via Getty Images
The president predicted that the new graduates will see “unbelievable growth” in the country “very soon.”
“You’re going to see it starting very, very soon. The whole world is talking about it,” Trump said.
Later, the commander in chief expressed optimism that grads could become a part of the “greatest generation” of Americans to ever live.
Trump’s address marks the first time in 18 years that the University of Alabama has brought in a commencement speaker for graduation festivities.
AFP via Getty Images
“I think you have a chance to be the greatest generation in the history of our country, because we’re turning it around,” Trump said.
The president was introduced by legendary former Alabama Crimson Tide football coach Nick Saban.
“It’s a special moment for me,” the seven-time national championship-winning coach said of introducing Trump.
“But I got to be honest with you,” Saban added. “I feel like I’m the warm-up band for the Rolling Stones.”
The president predicted that the new graduates will see “unbelievable growth” in the country “very soon.”
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The president predicted that the new graduates will see “unbelievable growth” in the country “very soon.”
AP
Trump, a massive sports fan, lauded Saban in his remarks and jokingly tried to bring him out of retirement.
“Let’s bring him back,” Trump said to loud applause.
The president, known for his lengthy oration, spoke for about 56 minutes in Tuscaloosa – well short of the longest commencement speech on record, which was delivered at Harvard College in the early 19th century and lasted over six hours, according to the Berkeley News.
Trump, who is being sued by Harvard over his efforts to freeze billions of dollars in federal funding allocated for the Ivy League school, took a dig at the prestigious university near the end of his remarks.
“Graduates of the Alabama Class of 2025, standing here before you in this magnificent arena, it’s clear to see the next chapter of the American story will not be written by the Harvard Crimson, it will be written by you, the Crimson Tide!” the president declared, referring to the Ivy League school’s newspaper.
Trump also took a jab at his doubters, including Harvard Law grad, former President Barack Obama, while giving the students his 10 pieces of life advice.
“Do you remember when they said, ‘Donald Trump would never become president of the United States’? Barack Hussein Obama said that,” Trump said, paraphrasing February 2016 remarks from the 44th president.
“Like 50 other politicians said that. Where are they now?” the president continued as he scanned the Coleman Coliseum theatrically.
“But here I am standing before you as the 45th and 47th president,” he said to cheers.
Also drawing loud applause was Trump highlighting his efforts at banning transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports – an issue he declared was “done.”
“Men will not play in women’s sports,” the president asserted.
The transgender issue, as well as immigration policy, also came up when Trump expounded on his advice that graduates remember to use “common sense.”
“You can go very far in life with common sense. And I applied that to politics because some of these things – like they had open borders that everybody in the whole world could flow into our country. That’s not common sense,” Trump asserted. “That transgender for everybody? We ended that.”
“It helps when you know that borders are not racist. Speech is not violence. America is good. Terrorists are bad. Men can never become women. Police are not criminals, and criminals are not victims.”
Trump’s address marks the first time in 18 years that the University of Alabama has brought in a commencement speaker for graduation festivities.
The last commencement speaker offered by the school was Alabama businessman James T. Stephens, in the spring of 2007, and he used the platform to criticize the US war in Iraq – drawing boos and even some laughter, according to the Tuscaloosa News.
The president was introduced by legendary former Alabama Crimson Tide football coach Nick Saban.
AFP via Getty Images
Ahead of his remarks, Trump indicated that he was looking forward to speaking at “the Great University of Alabama.”
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“They put all of their nine Graduations into one, so I better do well,” the president wrote on Truth Social. “These are tremendous people. I won the State by 45 points.”
“No pressure!”
Trump’s appearance was billed by the university as a “special commencement address” that would not impact formal graduation ceremonies planned through the weekend
“Previously planned college-specific commencement ceremonies where graduate names will be announced and degrees conferred are still scheduled for May 2-4,” the university said.
Alabama, including its law school, is graduating some 6,700 students this spring.
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