On Sunday, on board the USS Harry S. Truman, President Trump spoke to the assembled sailors and Marines on the occasion of the United States Navy's 250th anniversary. First Lady Melania Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth were also present.
The President and his party arrived on the ship via Marine One.
The Commander-in-Chief has arrived aboard the USS Harry S. Truman to celebrate the @USNavy's 250th birthday ⚓️🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/x4L4CMtpLF
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 5, 2025
Ambassador and Chief of Protocol of the United States, Monica Crowley, spoke first, with a description of major historical events in the Navy's "first 250 years."
Ambassador @MonicaCrowley delivers remarks at the @USNavy's 250th birthday celebration aboard the USS Harry S. Truman pic.twitter.com/Dd1eX3zLri
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 5, 2025
At 3:36 PM EDT, two Marine Ospreys swept in and landed on the carrier's deck. Secretary of the Navy John Phelan spoke, sounding a congratulatory tone to the assembled sailors and Marines, lauding not only their service and sacrifices, but also those of their families. The Secretary of the Navy was followed by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who wondrously took to the stage accompanied by the Ted Nugent song, "Stranglehold." He got an enthusiastic reception, and he kept his congratulatory remarks short, making way for the president.
THE @USNAVY LOVES @SECWAR! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/my6pxPAHOP
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 5, 2025
First Lady Melania Trump then took the stage, with her customary grace, calling out "Hoo-yah, Navy!" She praised the sailors' strength and dedication. She spoke briefly and then introduced her husband. Then, President Trump took the stage, opening with "God bless the United States Navy," to which the assembled sailors replied with shouts of "USA! USA!"
.@POTUS: "GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES NAVY!"
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 5, 2025
"USA! USA! USA!" pic.twitter.com/lBYSIaJ6XE
That's a pretty good reception by any measure.
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He described a preceding show of naval strength as "truly amazing." The president praised the surface fleet, the Navy aviators, the "silent service" of the submarine fleet, the SEALS, and the Marine Corps:
.@POTUS: We are honored to be joined today by service members representing every part of this great Naval tradition — our SURFACE WARRIORS, our U.S. NAVAL AVIATORS, our brave SUBMARINERS, our NAVY SEALS, and our revered UNITED STATES MARINES! pic.twitter.com/l8MUIUQzC3
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 5, 2025
President Trump went on to the usual calling out of administration personnel, and went on into some remarks on Navy history, from the revolution, from the War of 1812, and so forth, quoting famous remarks by commanders.
.@POTUS: In the War of 1812, Captain James Lawrence shouted his final words to his crew as blood streamed from his mortal wounds. “Fight her ‘til she sinks,” he yelled. “DON’T GIVE UP THE SHIP!”...Today, that eternal creed is written into the hearts of every sailor in the Fleet." pic.twitter.com/LMQdEr1tYZ
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 5, 2025
Perhaps the president's best remark of the day was that the U.S. military is not "PC" anymore; "Now," the president said, "We win. We win."
Without a navy, it would be impossible to have a country. Fortunately, while our navy has taken a beating from several Democrat administrations, it's still a going concern, and it's still a force to be reckoned with; if the plans of the present administration can be brought to fruition, it may regain the unchallenged maritime supremacy it enjoyed in 1945.
The United States Navy has accomplished a lot in the last 250 years. Most significantly, they were key in winning two world wars, and they have enforced a Pax Americana on the world's oceans since World War 2, making the sea lanes safe for commerce. Let's hope for another 250 years of that situation.
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