"Trump at West Point = Appeal to the spiritual pride of Americans"!

2025-06-09 14:27:00, Opinione Piro Ahmetaj

Almost two weeks ago, US President Donald Trump triumphantly ascended the podium at West Point, where he delivered a speech with the strong motto: "with divine pride and steely faith for a great America." His speech was a Shakespearean blend of Henry V: "Battles are inevitable, but victory is certain," which lifted not only the hearts of the cadets graduating as officers of the US Army.

His messages were filled with motivational anecdotes and criticism of past administrations, but also of the military's role in protecting the nation's borders. Full of emotion and pride, Trump addressed the West Point cadets: "you are the warriors and conquerors of an unrivaled and invincible America," underscoring their critical role in modernizing US military power.

"You are the Golden Generation of America." He began his speech as a slow wave, but one that radiated confidence and power in every sentence. With his irreplaceable timbre: "a mix between an old Manhattan merchant and a war strategist," he addressed the sons and daughters of America's army like an elderly father/King giving the last lessons before they set off into divine battle: "You are the winners. Every one of you is a victor. From today you become part of the path of American glory, the path that Eisenhower, Patton, Schwarzkopf, etc. have described"!

"You chose a life of service to your country. You could have gone to Wall Street, but you chose the boots and the uniforms," ??he said, adding: "This is the highest service to your country. "Love what you choose to do. If you don't love it, you won't be successful." He also highlighted the academic and academic successes of the Class of 2025, highlighting 26 outstanding students and 4 Rhodes Scholars.

"Our military is and will remain the most powerful in the history of mankind." President Trump expressed pride in the military budget ($1 Trillion in 2025), the largest in US history. He assessed that investments in technology, hypersonic missiles, drones, artificial intelligence, as well as missile defense systems/domes (Golden Dome) remain critical. "Hypersonic missiles? We invented them. But they stole them from us. And you know who? The Russians." But then, with a victorious smile, he added: "But now, we're building them again. And they'll be faster, more deadly, and more invincible"!

"The army is not for SHOW or for dancing, it is for defeating the enemy". "Our army will never be an ideological laboratory, as its mission is: "to dominate, destroy, conquer". He harshly criticized the previous administration and the ideologies that took the army away from its mission.

"When momentum is lost, everything is lost." Trump reminded the Cadets that glory is like a wild horse that must be held by the reins. "You know the story of Bill Levitt? Once he was the king of skyscrapers and buildings. But then he lost everything. Why? Because he lost momentum, which is everything, my friends. Never lose it." Take risks, be creative and be different, because history is never written by the blindly obedient, was his message.

"Ricky McMahon and the ring that binds generations." The emotional climax came when Trump addressed Cadet Ricky McMahon, who carried with him a heavy legacy of glory: "You will carry on the memory of those who fell for a great America," the President told Ricky. "Your father was martyred in Afghanistan. Now, his class ring has been fused with 87 others to form your rings. This ring is not just metal. It is the memory of those who fell so that you can stand strong" ...!. "Never give up. Never bow down. If you do this, America will be stronger than ever."

Criticism of past policies. Trump sees the cadets not just as soldiers, but as victors of an era he called the “Golden Age.” And with a theatrical gesture, he invited them to raise their right hands and swear: “Never surrender,” which was a closing message, an oath, and a Supreme Order at the same time.

The episode, which drew laughter, was a symbolic find against human failures, a message that even the strongest often fail and need a new start. “Everyone deserves a second chance,” he said. As an epilogue, Trump used West Point as a stage to promote a vision of military power combining national pride, as well as repeating even more clearly: “America first, because it will continue to have military power that is unrivaled and invincible.” In conclusion, like an actor who knows how to leave the stage, Trump ended with a joke: “Now I’m going back to Washington to deal with Russia and China. And you know what? We’re going to make it.” So it wasn’t just a ceremonial address.

Below are the 5 main messages we can take away from this historic speech at West Point:

Message No. 1: This speech carries the vision and determination of the US that President Trump will confirm at the NATO Summit to be held in The Hague on June 24-26: “NATO will never again be a club of diplomats but a deadly force for peace, security and Euro-Atlantic interests”, reminding the counterparts of the 31 NATO countries of the “strong approach” to burden sharing, as well as the pressure to increase the defense budget from 2% to 3% of GDP or even more!

Message No. 2: “Neo-Stalinists, Kim-Jong, Terrorist States or Organizations, not only continue to threaten the sovereignty of martyred Ukraine, peace in the Middle East, but also the global order, cohesion, borders, democratic values, and the interests and power of the Euro-Atlantic Alliance (US/NATO/EU).”

Message No. 3: Peace, democratic stability and the integration agenda of the 6 Western Balkan countries remain threatened not only because of the neo-Nazi war in Ukraine; not only because of Moscow's interests, but because of the facade democracy, corrupt politicians and rulers (Dodiks), the lack of cohesion among EU countries and the frightening return to the arms race in the Region.

Message no. 4: including/beyond the aforementioned reasons, the Republic of Albania also has a critical need to modernize the concept, structures, capacities and operational capabilities of the Armed Forces. But increasing the defense budget from 2% to over 3% by 2030 is by no means “to please President Trump or to make his family a sultanate”; but above all a necessity to modernize the capacities and power/efficiency of the Institutions, Security Agencies and National Defense in fulfillment of the constitutional mission, namely: “to protect territorial integrity (Article 5); develop the geopolitical interests of the Republic of Albania in the Region as well as to “deserve with dignity the chair” at the NATO table.

Message No. 5: Reforms to modernize the National Security and Defense System (NSDS) are vitally necessary for inclusiveness, broadest possible consensus, democratic harmonization of constitutional powers, and the cohesion of all Albanians towards national interests.

Unfortunately, the May 11 elections, with 140 deputies appointed to the assembly's roster, reinforced the Sultanate of the Majestic Presidents by defiling pluralism, trust in the citizens' vote, democracy, Institutions, democratic balances of powers, and destroying the Parliamentary Republic. On the other hand, the failure of the Nation to elect the political crisis, that is, the Speaker of the Assembly after 25 rounds (?!?), due to Bolshevik insistence and Marxist distortions around a Name, puts the democratic stability and state-forming efforts of the Republic of Kosovo in critical, if not ridiculous, question!

In general, in the capacity of commitments to protect the national and Euro-Atlantic interests of the Republic of Albania, I appeal not to the "kamikazes of the all-powerful Presidents", but to the noble reason of the open-minded factors of Tirana and Official Pristina, that: "neither the Bolshevik delusion from holding power for 16 years nor the democrat despair from the next sinful loss are worth a penny" but only love for the country; dedication and high state responsibility towards the interests of the entire Nation; "trust and blessing" towards the strategic partnership with the USA, NATO and the EU integration agenda"!

The author is General ® Piro Ahmetaj:

Senior Expert for SK, Region and NATO,
Vice President of the Atlantic Council; and former:
National Security Advisor to the DP,
Advisor to the President, Vice President of the Albanian Defense Ministry,
Military Representative to SHAPE/NATO.