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President Donald Trump announced on Monday night via social media that he will deliver the commencement address at the University of Alabama and the United States Military Academy at West Point.
The president shared the news in a post to his Truth Social account concerning the two locations.
“I have agreed to do the Commencement Address at two really GREAT places, the University of Alabama and, WEST POINT. Stay tuned for times and dates!!!” he wrote.
Trump previously gave a commencement speech at West Point in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2025 graduation ceremony is scheduled for May 24.
The visit to the University of Alabama will be his first for a graduation ceremony. The school’s graduation ceremonies are scheduled for May 2-4.
Trump previously attended the SEC football game between Alabama and the University of Georgia in Tuscaloosa in September. Trump’s appearance marked the third time he has attended a Crimson Tide football game. He attended the 2018 national title between Alabama and Georgia and a 2019 game against Louisiana State University.
The support for the military academy and southern university stands in strong contrast with recent pushback against elite schools over controversies related to antisemitism and DEI initiatives.
The Trump administration recently froze $2.2 billion in federal funds to Harvard on Monday after the university stated that it would not comply with demands to combat antisemitism. The Joint Task Force to Combat Antisemitism released a statement blasting Harvard’s refusal.
“Harvard’s statement today reinforces the troubling entitlement mindset that is endemic in our nation’s most prestigious universities and colleges – that federal investment does not come with the responsibility to uphold civil rights laws,” the task force said.
“The disruption of learning that has plagued campuses in recent years is unacceptable,” it continued. “The harassment of Jewish students is intolerable. It is time for elite universities to take the problem seriously and commit to meaningful change if they wish to continue receiving taxpayer support.”
The move follows a pause in federal funding to Princeton, Columbia, Harvard and Penn, with approximately 60 universities receiving letters over concerns about the safety of Jewish students.
