President Trump delivered the commencement address at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy Wednesday morning in New London, as p
rotesters gathered outside.
Trump delivered the address from Cadet Memorial Field where he congratulated graduating cadets on their hard work and dedication.
During the address, Trump reaffirmed his opposition to Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear weapon.
“We will not let Iran have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.
Trump signaled to cadets he would only agree to a ceasefire with Iran if it is favorable to the United States. He also celebrated the U.S. blockade of Iran in his speech, noting the Coast Guard is doing a great job working with the Navy to prevent ships from going to or from Iran.
“A bullet from four miles hit the rudder of a ship and the rudder of the ship fell into the ocean. It was a beautiful thing to see. It just fell in,” Trump said.
Trump last spoke at an academy commencement in New London in 2017.
Adm. Kevin Lunday gave remarks, along with Markwayne Mullin, Homeland Security secretary.
Protesting war, not cadets
About 100 protesters — including some military veterans — lined the sidewalks of a major intersection in New London Wednesday morning, pausing their anti-Trump chants to clap and cheer for the U.S. Coast Guard graduates as they headed to the ceremony.
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Steven Schimmel of Rhode Island was born into a military family and enlisted to serve during the Vietnam War, and said he finds it “reprehensible” that Trump avoided the military draft five times.
“Quite frankly, our military deserve a person in the presidency, the commander-in-chief, who is responsible and should have played his effective role in serving in the military,” Schimmel said.
After leaving the Navy, Schimmel worked as a research biologist for the Environmental Protection Agency for nearly four decades. The 80-year-old stood in the direct sun to make sure his protest sign was seen by passing cars.
Many other protesters retreated to the shade as temperatures reached nearly 90 degrees.
Makenzie Metivier, an organizer with the newly-formed Unify and Resist Coalition of progressive Connecticut organizations, said the grassroots coalition included 14 groups that aim to raise awareness of what they feel is the Trump administration’s “imperialist ventures” in Iran and Venezuela.
“Things this year are a little bit different with how the Trump administration has been waging these unconstitutional attacks and human rights abuses, both here and overseas,” Metivier said. “There was a little bit of a heightened urgency.”
Nick Russell, a longtime New London resident and dad, works as a LegalAid lawyer focusing on health care access. He held a double-sided sign congratulating the Coast Guard grads, but added: “You deserve better.”
“I'm sorry they have to be subjected to whatever he's going to say today,” Russell joked, “In all seriousness, we're at a point in this country where I worry — I got young kids, you know — what is the future of this nation?”
Watch the address
Connecticut Public's Eric Aasen, Mark Mirko and Matt Dwyer contributed to this report.
