Latest news with #USMilitaryAcademy
CNN
14 hours ago
- Politics
- CNN
Army Secretary withdraws West Point job offer to former Biden official amid pressure from far-right activist
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll on Wednesday ordered the US Military Academy at West Point to rescind an offer of employment to a former top national security official who served under President Joe Biden, announcing the move in a post on X — the latest example of the Pentagon's political leadership dictating staffing and curriculum at the nation's military academies. Jen Easterly, a West Point graduate who served as the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency under Biden, was named by the academy on Tuesday as the new Robert F. McDermott Distinguished Chair in the Department of Social Sciences. Her appointment was announced by West Point in since-deleted posts on X and LinkedIn. Before they were deleted, the announcements drew the attention of far-right activist Laura Loomer, who on Tuesday tagged Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in a post on X calling Easterly a 'Biden holdover who worked to silence Trump supporters under Biden.' Easterly did not a return request for comment. In 2023, House Judiciary Committee Republicans accused CISA under Easterly's leadership of 'surveillance' and 'censorship' because of its focus on fighting disinformation online and countering foreign malign influence operations. 'Looks like some of your underlings are trying to screw you,' Loomer wrote on Tuesday. 'Who the hell is doing the hiring over at DOD @DeptofDefense? It's horrendous.' On Wednesday, Driscoll posted a memorandum on X that said West Point will be terminating its 'gratuitous service agreement' with Easterly; that it will be pausing 'non-governmental and outside groups from selecting employees of the Academy'; and that Driscoll will be requesting 'an immediate top-down review' of West Point's hiring practices. Loomer responded with a clapping emoji. In response to Driscoll's post, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said on X that 'we're not turning cadets into censorship activists. We're turning them into warriors & leaders. We're in the business of warfighting. Our future officers will get the most elite training so that America can continue to dominate on the battlefield.' 'We won the election, you lost,' Parnell said in response to a reporter who pointed out that Trump administration political appointees are increasingly playing direct roles in decisions made by the military academies. Driscoll's interference follows other interventions made by the Pentagon's political leadership in the affairs of the country's service academies — including at West Point. A tenured professor of philosophy at West Point wrote in an op-ed for the New York Times in May that he was resigning after 13 years at the school because it was 'suddenly eliminating courses, modifying syllabuses and censoring arguments to comport with the ideological tastes of the Trump administration.' The professor, Graham Parsons, wrote that West Point was interpreting Hegseth's order 'broadly,' and conducting 'a sweeping assault on the school's curriculum and the faculty members' research.' In response to Parson's op-ed, Hegseth posted on X, 'You will not be missed Professor Parsons,' and the DoD's rapid response account called Parsons 'woke.' Shortly thereafter, the Pentagon ordered all military academies to identify and remove books from their libraries that deal with issues such as race, gender ideology, and other 'divisive concepts' that are now considered 'incompatible with the department's core mission,' CNN reported at the time. In a separate memo released around the same time, Hegseth also said there will be 'no consideration of race, ethnicity, or sex' in admissions to US military academies, which will focus admissions 'exclusively on merit.' The memo ordered the service academies to rank candidates, starting with the 2026 admissions cycle, 'by merit-based scores,' accepting the highest-ranking candidates in each nomination category. And earlier this year, the US Naval Academy removed nearly 400 books from its main library in an attempt to comply with President Donald Trump's executive order in January mandating the removal of all 'diversity, equity, and inclusion' content from K-12 schools, which Hegseth later said also applied to military academies. Shortly thereafter, the Naval Academy canceled a lecture that author Ryan Holiday was scheduled to give to students there last month after he refused to remove slides from his planned presentation that criticized the academy's decision to remove the books, CNN has reported. CNN's Zachary Cohen contributed to this report.
Business Insider
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Insider
West Point emails reveal how the prestigious military academy messed up Pete Hegseth's admissions status
Recently released West Point records shed new light on exactly how the December snafu over Pete Hegseth's admission to the prestigious military academy happened. On the morning of December 11, Hegseth wrote on X that the investigative news website ProPublica was about to run a "knowingly false" story saying that he hadn't been admitted to the US Military Academy, where many of America's Army officers are trained. ProPublica denied Hegseth's claim, saying it had simply asked Hegseth to respond to a statement by a West Point public affairs official who told the news outlet that Hegseth hadn't even applied, much less been admitted. At the time, Hegseth and his allies used the incident to blame West Point and the media. The new records show the mistake was West Point's, which neglected to review an old archive of the academy's thousands of past applicants before the controversy took off. Internal emails, released to Business Insider under the Freedom of Information Act, showed West Point staffers exchanging emails on December 10 about Hegseth's claim to have been admitted, after he produced a letter as proof. "Look what they now provided??" Theresa Brinkerhoff, a public affairs official, wrote to another West Point employee. In another email thread, an employee whose name was redacted wrote, "anyone can generate an acceptance mean its legit." "Very true," Brinkerhoff replied. By the afternoon of the 10th, West Point staff seemed to have realized their mistake. "Hes in there," an employee whose name was redacted wrote in an email. "Its in an old archived table," the person said, typing out a line of search query language to demonstrate how the admissions record could be found. "The record shows that he declined the offer," the employee wrote. Hegseth ended up going to Princeton, where he studied politics, played basketball, and joined the Reserve Officers' Training Corps. He served in the Army National Guard after graduation and moved into conservative activism and media jobs. Hegseth has been a magnet for criticism in his six months as defense secretary. His nomination to lead the Pentagon was looking uncertain last December amid allegations of alcohol abuse and mistreatment of women. Hegseth denied the claims and promised to stop drinking. Terrence Kelley, the head of West Point's communications office, apologized to ProPublica the afternoon of the 10th. "My sincere apologies for the incorrect information," he wrote. "It was inadvertent." Hegseth apparently didn't get the memo. He posted at 8:10 am the next day that ProPublica was about to run a false story. Kelley told colleagues on December 11 that it was important that they get "official word" to ProPublica that Hegseth was telling the truth. "Confirming Hegseth's claim probably kills any interest Propublica has in the story but the longer we delay response, the more likely that becomes a story," he wrote. In a later email to ProPublica, which never ran a story about Hegseth's admission, he called the flub an "honest mistake." By the afternoon of the 11th, West Point's press office had received inquiries about Hegseth's post from eight other media outlets. That same day, Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas asked the school's leadership to look into how the statement was made. "The academy takes this situation seriously and apologizes for this administrative error," West Point told media outlets. "Following the release of inaccurate admissions information last December, West Point implemented additional guidance for the proper review and release of any information to outside parties," Kelley, the West Point spokesperson, told BI. "We regret the error and are committed to ensuring it does not happen again." "Reporters do their job by asking tough questions to people in power, which is exactly what happened here," a spokesperson from ProPublica said. "Responsible news organizations only publish what they can verify, which is why we didn't publish a story once Mr. Hegseth provided documentation that corrected the statements from West Point."
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Donald Trump delivers speech for West Point graduates; Where did the US President go to high school?
Since making headlines for initiating a ban on international students at Harvard University, US President Donald Trump made an appearance at an institution and addressed the 2025 graduates of the US Military Academy at West Point. On May 24, 2025, Trump delivered a commencement address at the United States Military Academy at West Point, marking his second appearance at the institution. In his speech, Trump emphasized themes of national pride, military readiness, and leadership, while also highlighting his administration's defense policies and initiatives. Wearing a red MAGA (Make America Great Again) hat, the Republican president told the 1,002 members of the class of 2025 at the US Military Academy that the United States is the 'hottest country in the world' and underscored an 'America First' ethos for the military. What did Trump say in his speech? Addressing the graduating crowd at the Michie Stadium, Trump said, 'In a few moments, you'll become graduates of the most elite and storied military academy in human history. And you will become officers of the greatest and most powerful army the world has ever known. And I know, because I rebuilt that army, and I rebuilt the military. And we rebuilt it like nobody has ever rebuilt it before in my first term.' Emphasizing more on his personal achievements and bashing the previous Biden government, Trump continued, 'We're getting rid of 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. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo He also added, 'The job of the US armed forces is not to host drag shows or transform foreign cultures,' referencing drag shows on military bases that the previous Democratic President Joe Biden's administration halted after Republican criticism. While he staunchly criticized past administrations for subjecting '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,' the US President noted that the cadets were graduating at a 'defining moment' in Army history. Trump's advice during the address included doing what they love, thinking big, working hard, holding on to their culture, keeping faith in America, and taking risks. In a nod to presidential tradition, Trump also pardoned about half a dozen cadets who had faced disciplinary infractions. Did Trump go to West Point? While the President did deliver a passionate speech for the West Point graduates, Trump himself did not attend the United States Military Academy at West Point. Instead, he completed his secondary education at the New York Military Academy (NYMA), a private boarding school located in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York. Trump enrolled at NYMA in 1959 at the age of 13 due to behavioral concerns and graduated in 1964. During his time there, he was actively involved in sports, including varsity soccer, baseball, and football, and held leadership positions, such as serving as a captain of the varsity baseball team. Trump Criticises Participation Of Transgender Women In Sports With Grunting Impression | WATCH
Mint
25-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
Donald Trump tells West Point graduates 'lot of trophy wives don't work out', cites real estate mogul Levitt as example
One of the advice that US President Donald Trump gave to West Point graduates on Saturday was "don't lose your momentum". He had a story to share as he explained this "tip". But within that story, there was a lesson on "trophy wives." He shared a story of a "man who was admired for real estate all over the world." The man, he said, was William Levitt. According to Trump, Levitt was a perfect example of someone who 'lost momentum" when he left his company and fled with a 'trophy wife.' "He built Levittown. He started as the man who built one house, then he built two, then he built five, then he built 20, then he built a thousand and then he built 2,000 and 3,000 a year. And he got very big," Trump said in a speech during the US Military Academy (USMA) Class of 2025 Graduation Ceremony on Saturday. "It's a long time ago, but he was the first of a really, really big home builder, and he became a very rich man," Trump added. It was then, the man decided to sell off his company. "He was offered a lot of money by a big conglomerate, Gulf and Western big conglomerate," Trump said, adding that the "conglomerate" didn't do real estate and had no knowledge about it. "But they saw the money he was making, they wanted to take it to a public company, and they gave him a lot of money, a tremendous amount of money, more money than he ever thought again," Trump said. Trump said Levitt sold this company and had nothing to do. He added that the Levitt, the real estate mogul, took a 'tremendous' sum of money, got divorced, and then remarried. "He ended up getting a divorce, found a new wife. But you say a trophy wife, I guess we could say a trophy wife. It didn't work out too well," he said. The US President then went on to share his "tips" with the West Point graduations, saying, 'I must tell you, a lot of trophy wives don't work out, but it made him happy for a little while, at least. But he found a new wife. He sold his little boat.' Trump said as time went by, the man got bored, and 15 years later, "the company that he sold to called him, and they said, the housing business is not for us." The US President told the graduates, "You have to understand, when William Levitt was hot, when he had momentum, he'd go to the job sites every night. He'd pick up every loose nail. He'd pick up every scrap of wood. If there was a bolt or a scrap or a screwing in the ground, he would pick it up, and used it the next day and putting together a house. "But now, he was spoiled and he was rich," Trump said as he shared the anecdote about the late real estate developer William Levitt, a billionaire friend who Trump said lost momentum.. Wearing a red 'Make America Great Again' hat, Trump gave the commencement address at West Point this year. The Republican president told the 1,002 members of the class of 2025 at the US Military Academy that the United States is the 'hottest country in the world' and underscored an 'America First' ethos for the military.
CNN
24-05-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Live updates: Trump's tariffs, legal battles and West Point address
Update: Date: Title: Here are some key takeaways from Trump's speech at West Point Content: President Donald Trump addressed graduates at the US Military Academy in West Point, New York, this morning, making his second college commencement speech of the year. It came as his administration scours the country's military academies for course offerings, clubs and books deemed unsuitable under Trump's anti-DEI initiatives. The president is also overseeing a wider shake-up of the Pentagon and the national security establishment. If you missed the speech, here are some key takeaways: Getting political: Trump didn't shy away from playing politics and addressing controversial topics during his speech to the cadets. Trump said that by banning diversity initiatives and transgender people from serving in the military, he was helping 'liberate' the troops. 'We've liberated our troops from divisive and demeaning political trainings,' Trump said. 'There will be no more 'critical race theory' or 'transgender for everybody' forced onto our brave men and women in uniform.' Trump also slammed military readiness under his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, and claimed he had 'rebuilt' the nation's armed forces. Touting US military prowess: The president called the graduates 'winners' and congratulated them on joining 'the greatest and most powerful army the world has ever known.' Trump's 'Golden Dome': Trump again claimed that a 'Golden Dome' missile defense system will be complete before he leaves office. Experts have told CNN the president's vision for a cutting-edge missile shield to protect from long-range strikes — inspired by Israel's Iron Dome but intended to protect a country about 450 times larger — is economically and strategically ill-advised. Lighter moments: The president brought multiple cadets onstage to celebrate their accomplishments, including Army Golden Knights quarterback Bryson Daily and Chris Verdugo, a cadet who set a record in a grueling 18.5-mile march. Trump also issued a pardon for all West Point cadets on restriction for minor offenses, continuing a longstanding tradition of presidents who deliver the commencement address. Update: Date: Title: Department of Justice sues 4 sanctuary cities in New Jersey Content: The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against four sanctuary cities in New Jersey, arguing their protections for undocumented immigrants are illegal. The four cities being sued are Newark, Jersey City, Patterson and Hoboken. Like other sanctuary cities, these four jurisdictions have policies in place that limit their cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. 'They have all adopted policies for the clear object of making it harder for the United States to enforce federal immigration law,' the lawsuit filed Thursday states. 'These efforts to shield illegal aliens within the Garden State are unlawful.' The suit comes as the Trump administration aggressively cracks down on immigration, including efforts to use a wartime power to deport undocumented migrants and sending troops to the southern US border. Shortly after President Donald Trump returned to the White House, the administration filed similar lawsuits against state officials in New York and Illinois, including Chicago. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka slammed Thursday's lawsuit as 'absurd.' 'Nothing in our policies prevents law enforcement from doing their jobs. What we refuse to do is turn our city into an arm of federal immigration enforcement, which the courts have already ruled is not our role,' Baraka said in a statement posted on X yesterday. Baraka was recently detained and charged with federal trespassing during a chaotic melee that erupted outside of an ICE detention facility in his city earlier this month. The charge was dropped Tuesday. Update: Date: Title: Top Trump official meets with Syrian president as US moves to ease sanctions Content: Thomas Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria, met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa today, after the Trump administration issued orders to begin easing sanctions on the war-torn Middle Eastern country. Barrack said in a statement that the 'historic' meeting was at President Donald Trump's direction to 'provide a path for peace and prosperity in Syria.' The envoy said the two countries would move to put sanctions 'far behind us' and 'drive forward, quickly, with investment, development, and worldwide branding of a new, welcoming Syria.' Some context: Trump officials began exploring sanctions relief after former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime fell in December, following decades of brutal rule. But Trump's surprise announcement to lift sanctions during his Middle East trip earlier this month left officials scrambling to implement the decision, sources told CNN. The US Treasury Department said yesterday that it had taken some of its first steps to ease existing sanctions. CNN's Alex Stambaugh, Betsy Klein, Jennifer Hansler and Hira Humayun contributed to this report. Update: Date: Title: Trump says he "liberated" troops from "divisive and demeaning political trainings" Content: President Donald Trump praised his administration's efforts to ban diversity initiatives and transgender people from serving in the military during his commencement address at West Point this morning. 'We've liberated our troops from divisive and demeaning political trainings,' Trump told graduates of the US Military Academy. 'There will be no more 'critical race theory' or 'transgender for everybody' forced onto our brave men and women in uniform or anybody else, for that matter, in our country.' 'Promotions and appointments will not be based on politics or identity. They'll be based on merit,' the president said. 'We're a merit-based country again.' At West Point, a number of affinity groups have been disbanded as a result of Trump's crackdown on DEI programs, including the Society of Black Engineers and the Latin Cultural Club. At other service academies, books deemed in violation of Trump's anti-DEI directives have been pulled from the library. Trump also mentioned his efforts to ban transgender women from playing in women's sports, calling their participation 'ridiculous' and 'demeaning to women.' Update: Date: Title: Trump issues traditional pardon of minor conduct offenses by West Point cadets Content: President Donald Trump pardoned all West Point cadets on restriction for minor offenses, continuing a longstanding tradition of presidents who deliver the commencement address at the US Military Academy. 'Some of you achieved a different kind of distinction here at the academy,' Trump said, calling on seven men 'who completed 100 hours of marching for disciplinary — oh no — infractions. No, don't tell me I'm doing this. I'm so sorry. Would you like to stand up?' Cheers and laughter broke out as the cadets stood up. Saying he wanted everyone to leave with a 'clean slate,' Trump announced: 'In keeping with tradition, I hereby pardon all cadets on restriction for minor conduct offenses, effective immediately.' Last year, when then-President Joe Biden delivered the commencement address at West Point, he gave cadets the same courtesy. Update: Date: Title: Trump brings multiple West Point graduates onstage during commencement address Content: President Donald Trump brought multiple West Point graduates onstage with him at different points during his commencement speech, highlighting their achievements, including a cadet who beat the record for a grueling 18.5-mile march and the quarterback of the US Army football team. 'This class excelled not only mentally but physically. Last January, when more than 1,000 cadets volunteered for an 18.5-mile march on a freezing winter night, Cadet Chris Verdugo completed the task in 2 hours and 30 minutes flat, smashing the international record for the competition by 13 minutes,' Trump said. 'Where is he?' the president asked, inviting Verdugo to join him as the audience roared. The cadet shook hands with Trump, smiling and laughing, and stepped up to the podium at Trump's urging. 'It's been a long five years, but I could not have done it without any of these guys,' Verdugo said. Trump also brought up Bryson Daily, the Black Knights' quarterback. 'This year, the Black Knights bought your way into the top 20 nationally and racked up your longest winning streak since 1949 with the help of graduating quarterback Cadet Bryson Daily, or as you call him, Captain America,' Trump said. 'We gotta get him up here right? C'mon Bryson.' Daily said, 'Go Army football' and shook Trump's hand, giving the president a salute. Trump gave many other shoutouts during the address, including to the Rhodes Scholars and the men's lacrosse team. Trump also called out the first two women in West Point history to complete divers' school, asking them to stand. Update: Date: Title: Trump again claims 'Golden Dome' missile defense system will be in place by end of term Content: President Donald Trump said during his commencement address at West Point this morning that a 'Golden Dome' missile defense system will be complete before he leaves office, reaffirming the plan he unveiled earlier this week. 'We're building the Golden Dome missile defense shield to protect our homeland and to protect West Point from attack,' Trump said. 'And it will be completed before I leave office.' Trump first said Tuesday that the project — which is his vision for a cutting-edge missile shield that can protect the US from long-range strikes — will be complete within the next three years, announcing that the administration had 'selected an architecture for this state-of-the-art system.' Key context: The administration has remained vague on its plans for developing the missile shield, which is expected to cost about $175 billion. While it takes inspiration from Israel's Iron Dome, Trump's aim is to build a space-based system that is capable of defending a country around 450 times larger from advanced ballistic and hypersonic missiles. Experts have doubted the economic and strategic feasibility of such a plan. CNN's Jessie Yeung and Maureen Chowdhury contributed to this report. Update: Date: Title: Trump calls West Point graduates "winners" and hails US military as most powerful in the world Content: President Donald Trump congratulated the graduates at the US Military Academy at the start of his commencement address in West Point, New York, calling each of them 'winners.' 'Every cadet in the field before me should savor this morning, because this is a day you will never, ever forget,' said Trump, who is wearing a red 'Make America Great Again' hat. 'In a few moments, you will become graduates of the most elite and storied military academy in human history, 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,' Trump claimed. 'The military's job is to dominate any foe and annihilate any threat to America anywhere, anytime and anyplace. A big part of that job is to be respected again,' the president added. 'And you are, as of right now, respected more than any army anywhere in the world.' Trump also took a moment to honor the veterans at the ceremony, including the parents of graduates. 'Moms and dads: Nearly a third of the cadets graduating today are, themselves, the children of veterans. So to everyone with us this morning who served America in uniform, no matter your age, please stand so we can salute your service,' Trump said. Trump thanked faculty, staff and graduates for their 'outstanding devotion.' Praising their accomplishments at West Point, Trump told the graduates, 'Mission accomplished,' adding: 'Great job, but now you have to go on.' CNN's Kaanita Iyer contributed reporting to this post. Update: Date: Title: NOW: Trump addresses service academy graduates at West Point Content: President Donald Trump has begun his commencement address at the US Military Academy in West Point, New York. The speech comes after Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed a sweeping effort to scour the country's military academies for course offerings, clubs and books deemed unsuitable under the administration's anti-DEI initiatives. The president is also overseeing a wider shake-up of the Pentagon and the country's national security establishment. The class Trump is speaking to represents a diverse group of newly commissioned second lieutenants. According to West Point, 252 are women — including the valedictorian, Joanna K. Halfhill. It's the 45th anniversary of the first class to graduate women. CNN's Kevin Liptak contributed to this report. Update: Date: Title: Tehran "disappointed" with US nuclear talks, senior Iranian lawmaker says Content: Iran is disappointed with the progress of nuclear talks with the United States and is considering a 'Plan B' if they fail, a senior Iranian lawmaker told CNN. Ebrahim Rezaei, a member of the parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said officials get 'more disappointed' after each round of negotiations, particularly around the issue of uranium enrichment, which has emerged as a red line in the talks. Uranium can be used to build a bomb if enriched to high levels. 'We do not have hope yet, because the American side is still insisting on zero enrichment, and I know the Islamic Republic of Iran will never agree with zero enrichment,' Rezaei said in an interview at the Iranian parliament today. 'I got disappointed and do not have much hope that the negotiations will lead to a deal. We are preparing for Plan B.' He did not specify what Plan B might entail. Rezaei was speaking the day after the fifth round of indirect talks in Rome between the Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff. A senior Trump administration official said Friday that talks 'continue to be constructive' and that progress was made, adding that both sides agreed to meet 'in the near future.' Witkoff said last week that the US had 'one very, very clear red line, and that is enrichment. We cannot allow even 1% of an enrichment capability … because enrichment enables weaponization.' Rezaei told CNN that 'if these are the real words of the American aide and they say the same in the negotiations, I can already say that the talks are doomed to fail.' Update: Date: Title: Trump's speech at US Military Academy comes as his anti-DEI initiatives alter the institution Content: Often when a president makes an annual commencement address at a US military service academy, it's an opportunity to discuss the national security environment the graduating class, all newly commissioned officers, will be entering when they leave. As President Donald Trump stands on stage about to address the US Military Academy in West Point, New York, he has plenty to discuss in front of the 1,002 graduates — global conflicts, new investments in the military and his efforts to maintain 'peace through strength.' Still, an undeniable backdrop to this year's speech is Trump's crackdown on diversity initiatives across the military and higher education, which have coincided at institutions like West Point. Trump's crackdown on DEI programs has played out on the campus here in New York's Hudson Valley over the last several months. A number of affinity groups have been disbanded, including the Society of Black Engineers and the Latin Cultural Club. At other service academies, books deemed in violation of Trump's anti-DEI directives have been pulled from the library. The White House and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth say they are making the military more lethal and focused on its core mission of warfighting. It's all caused an enormous amount of consternation, and at least one professor at West Point has resigned. There are protests expected near campus today, including in boats on the Hudson River beneath campus. Update: Date: Title: After awkward ramp incident in 2020, Trump's West Point stage has an addition: a handrail Content: The last time President Donald Trump addressed graduates at the US Military Academy in 2020, his appearance was punctuated by an awkward, unsteady descent down a ramp that raised questions about his physical well-being. This morning, as Trump returns to West Point, two long ramps remain in place in front of the podium. But this year, a handrail has been installed on one side. At the time, Trump issued an ardent defense of his halting walk down the ramp, where he stepped gingerly to get ground level. In a tweet, Trump insisted the slope was 'very long & steep, had no handrail and, most importantly, was very slippery,' though it had not rained beforehand and others were seen walking normally down the decline. With the handrail in place, Trump may be able to avoid the questions this time around. Update: Date: Title: Reporting roundup: Our latest coverage of President Donald Trump's administration Content: Entering the weekend, we're tracking the latest on President Donald Trump's ever-evolving trade policy, particularly his threat of 50% tariffs on the European Union and 25% levies on cellphone makers that manufacture their products outside the US. We'll also have updates on the president's speech at the US Military Academy commencement later this morning in West Point, New York. Use the links below to get up to speed on our other recent coverage: • Legal battle with Harvard: A federal judge has temporarily halted the Trump administration's ban on Harvard University's ability to enroll international students, marking the latest development in a battle over the elite institution's refusal to accept White House policy demands. International students at the school say they are experiencing 'pure panic' as they await an outcome. • Trump's 'big, beautiful bill': After intense lobbying by Trump, GOP infighting and an all-nighter, House Republicans advanced their sweeping tax cuts and spending package this week. Analysts say low-income Americans will feel the effect of aid cuts, while wealthy Americans will see a windfall if the package advances through the Senate in a similar form. • National Security Council ousters: The administration has put more than 100 officials at the National Security Council on administrative leave as part of a restructuring under interim national security adviser and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, sources told CNN yesterday. • Another wrongfully deported migrant: The administration has been ordered to facilitate the return of a Guatemalan man who was wrongly deported to Mexico in February, after he told authorities about his fears of violence and torture across the border. This is at least the third time a judge has ordered the return of a migrant wrongfully deported under Trump's immigration crackdown. • Sanctions on Syria: The administration issued orders yesterday to begin easing sanctions on Syria, marking a major policy shift after Trump pledged earlier this month to roll back the measures during a trip to the Middle East. Update: Date: Title: Trump arrives at West Point ahead of commencement speech Content: President Donald Trump has arrived in West Point, New York, where he will deliver the commencement address at the US Military Academy around 10:15 a.m. ET. This will be the second commencement address Trump delivers this spring. The first was at the University of Alabama — where he wasn't shy about getting political, inflating the margin of his 2024 win in the state and criticizing former President Joe Biden's administration. Update: Date: Title: EU trade chief says a deal with the US must be based on respect, not threats Content: A trade deal between the European Union and the US must be based on 'mutual respect, and not threats,' the EU's trade chief said, after President Donald Trump threatened the bloc with a 50% tariff. 'The EU's fully engaged, committed to securing a deal that works for both,' Maroš Šefčovič wrote in a post on X yesterday after a call with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, adding that the European Commission 'remains ready to work in good faith.' However, he said, EU-US trade 'must be guided by mutual respect, not threats.' 'We stand ready to defend our interests,' Šefčovič added. Some context: Trump raised the prospect of the 50% tariff on goods from the EU yesterday, citing a lack of progress in trade negotiations. The tariff Trump is considering slapping on the EU is more than double the size of the 20% initial 'reciprocal' tariff that was briefly in place in April before he swiftly paused those tariffs to allow for further negotiations. In a post on Truth Social, the president said he took particular issue with 'non-monetary trade barriers,' as he has repeatedly called them, as well as countries or trading blocs that run trade deficits with the US. Those occur when the US purchases more from another trading partner than that country purchases from the US. CNN's Elisabeth Buchwald contributed reporting to this post. Update: Date: Title: Trump's trade war: What to know about the president's latest tariff threats Content: President Donald Trump issued a pair of new threats in his ever-evolving trade policy yesterday, taking aim at the European Union and cellphone makers. Here are the two key tariff headlines entering the weekend: Trade demands for the EU: The president has threatened a 50% tariff on goods from the European Union, citing a lack of progress in negotiations and policies he says are contributing to an unacceptable trade deficit with the bloc. 'Our discussions with them are going nowhere!' Trump said in a Truth Social post yesterday morning. 'Therefore, I am recommending a straight 50% Tariff on the European Union, starting on June 1, 2025.' During an executive order signing in the Oval Office later that day, Trump escalated his message: 'I'm not looking for a deal,' he said. 'We've set the deal — it's at 50%.' Trump did open the door to pushing his June 1 deadline further, however, and his tariff threats have repeatedly been followed by reversals and delays. Ultimatum for smartphone makers: Trump also demanded yesterday that Apple and other smartphone makers like Samsung make their phones in the US or face a 25% tariff. 'I have long ago informed Tim Cook of Apple that I expect their iPhone's that will be sold in the United States of America will be manufactured and built in the United States, not India, or anyplace else,' Trump wrote on Truth Social. 'If that is not the case, a Tariff of at least 25% must be paid by Apple to the U.S.' Trump later told reporters in the Oval Office that the tariff would apply to any phone maker selling devices in the US, calling out Samsung by name. The threat comes after Trump expressed displeasure last week that Apple plans to manufacture iPhones for sale in the US at newly built plants in India. Update: Date: Title: Watch: Breaking down a busy week at the White House Content: In another busy week, President Donald Trump met at the Oval Office with the South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and tracked Republican efforts to get his sweeping tax and spending cuts package through Congress. CNN's Kaitlan Collins debriefs on the past few days at the White House:
