Pool Reports of May 24, 2025

Travel Pool Report 1/En route

Marine One was wheels up at 7:53 heading to West Point, according to the White House.

President Trump lifted from Bedminster and the pool is flying separately on an Osprey from the nearby Somerset airport.

Travel Pool Report 2/Arrival

Marine One landed on the campus of West Point at 8:25.

President Trump exited the helicopter at 8:29 and walked to Quarters 100, the residence of West Point's superintendent. 

Loud booms welcomed Trump as he crossed the rainy field. He shook hands on the porch before the pool was escorted to vans.

Travel Pool Report 3/Rolling

President Trump left Quarters 100 at 8:49 after about 20 minutes inside. He seemed to pose for photos before getting into the Beast, and the motorcade was rolling at 8:54.

Trump was greeted at the residence by LTG Steven Gilland, superintendent of West Point Military Academy, the White House says.

Trump’s graduation speech is scheduled to begin at 10:15.

Travel Pool Report 4/Awaiting Trump

The pool is positioned on the field of West Point's Michie Stadium. We did not see President Trump enter the facility. The rain has cleared and the sun is shining. 

His speech will be broadcast live, so please tune in if you'd like. https://www.c-span.org/event/commencement-speeches/pres-trump-delivers-commencement-address-at-west-point/433385

Travel Pool Report 5/Trump walks out

President Trump walked out at 10:03 wearing a red "Make America Great Again" hat. The cadets saluted and the guests cheered.

Again, please tune into the livestream if you'd like full quotes from his remarks.

Travel Pool Report 6/Trump remarks starting

President Trump started speaking at 10:16.

Travel Pool Report 7/Remarks over

President Trump concluded at 11:13 after offering advice to graduates and laying out his administration's policies. Apologies for the slow pool report, poor cell service here.

Trump tore into his predecessors and said he would refocus the military on border protection and away from foreign wars.

Among the key quotes:

"For at least two decades, political leaders from both parties have dragged our military into missions it was never meant to be [in]. People would say, 'Why are we doing this? Why are we wasting our time, money and souls in some cases?'"

"They sent our warriors on nation-building crusades to nations that wanted nothing to do with us, led by leaders who didn't have a clue in distant lands while abusing our soldiers with absurd ideological experiments."

"All of that is ended."

"They 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."

"But under the Trump administration, those days are over. We're getting rid of the distractions and focusing our military on its core mission: crushing America's adversaries, killing America's enemies and defending our great American flag."

"The job of the US armed forces is not to host drag shows, to transform foreign cultures or to spread democracy to everybody around the world at the point of the gun. The military's job is to dominate any foe and annihilate any threat to America anywhere anytime and anyplace."

"My preference always will be to make peace and seek partnership, even with countries with which our differences may be profound."

"As much as you want to fight, I'd rather do it without having to fight. I'd rather just look at them and have them fold. And that's happening."

"A central purpose of our military is to protect our own borders from invasion. Our country was invaded for the past four years."

Travel Pool Report 8/Departure

President Trump's motorcade was rolling back to the choppers at 11:22 and arrived two minutes later. The pool did not see President Trump board Marine One as we hustled onto an Osprey.

Travel Pool Report 9/Lid

Marine One landed at 12:11 at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster, according to the White House.

And we have a travel/photo lid.