Trump stays on after his commencement address at the US Air Force Academy to shake hands with ALL 1,000 cadets, calling them 'rock-ribbed American patriots'
- President Donald Trump delivered the commencement address at the Air Force Academy graduation on Thursday in Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Stuck around to shake every graduating cadet's hand after the ceremony
- In keeping with tradition, the commander in chief also pardoned prankers and mischief makers whose activity had been restricted in the lead-up to graduation
President Donald Trump stuck around after a commencement address at the U.S. Air Force Academy to shake every graduating cadet's hand.
'Most of all, to the nearly 1,000 cadets, who I have agreed to shake every, single hand,' he said to loud cheers.
The
commander in chief pardoned pranksters and mischief makers, as well, as
is tradition for the nation's president to do when he speaks to
graduating cadets.
President Donald Trump stuck around
after a commencement address at the U.S. Air Force Academy to shake
every graduating cadet's hand
I SALUTE YOU: Trump also saluted cadets, in his capacity as commander in chief at the ceremony
Some cadets preferred another form of greeting - the first bump - as they received their diplomas
Cadets are invited to turn around
and wave to their family members as President Donald Trump speaks during
the 2019 United States Air Force Academy Graduation Ceremony
A cadet points to his family while speaking to President Trump at the graduation ceremony
Graduates celebrate and throw up
their caps as the Air Force Thunderbirds fly overhead during the 2019
graduation ceremony in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Trump
received a painting of an American fighter jet flying over the Rocky
Mountains as a gift at the ceremony that kept him away from the White
House all day on Thursday.
He left for Colorado mid-morning, and wasn't scheduled to return until late evening.
Trump tacked on more time at the academy, after he promised to shake every cadet's hand.
'They gave me a choice. They said, sir, you don't have to shake any hands, some people do that.'
He said as an aside, 'Those are the smart ones. They're out of here.'
'You
can shake one hand, to the one person, top of the class. You can shake
10, 50 or 100, and you could also stay for 1,000. And I'm staying for
1,000, OK?' he said to loud cheers.
Trump
told reporters before he left the White House that the graduation is
'very exciting for me' and the academy is an 'amazing place.'
He
tweeted from the plane: 'Getting ready to deliver the commencement
speech at the Air Force Academy graduation. Very exciting - probably
will be broadcast live on TV. They want good ratings.'
President Donald Trump poses with a painting presented to him during at the event
The commander in chief pardoned
pranksters and mischief makers, as well, as is tradition for the
nation's president to do when he speaks to graduating cadets
WHO'S NEXT? President Trump says he
was told: 'You can shake one hand, to the one person, top of the class.
You can shake 10, 50 or 100, and you could also stay for 1,000. And I'm
staying for 1,000, OK?'
Newly graduated cadets hug as they celebrate during the 2019 graduation ceremony
WANT ONE? President Donald Trump shows off a challenge coin at the graduation ceremony
Trump
spent close to 20 minutes on the South Lawn defending himself from
impeachment attacks and answering other questions from the press before
he flew to Colorado.
In his address,
the U.S. president opted not to wade into politics, however. He spent
his time encouraging the graduating class and teasing them about their
shenanigans.
'To dominate the future,
America must rule the skies. And that is what your time at this great
academy has been all about - preparing you to do whatever it takes to
learn, to adapt and to win, win, win,' he said.
Amid
loud applause, he jested, 'You're gonna win so much, you're gonna get
tired of winning, but not really. Not really. We never get tired of
winning. Do we? No?'
Trump told Air Force cadets the 'sky is never ever the limit' for military recruits of their caliber.
'That saying, even the best cadets, can sometimes get a little bit carried away,' he said.
President Donald Trump and a cadet wave to the crowd as he received his diploma Thursday
Trump told reporters before he left
the White House that the graduation is 'very exciting for me' and the
academy is an 'amazing place'
The
president claimed he'd spoken to one of their commanding officers and
learned that some are 'still on restriction for pranks and and other
fairly bad mischief.'
'You know what I'm talking about, right? And you all know you who you are!' he said.
Trump offered them clemency as their gift, in the spirit of new beginnings for graduating seniors.
'So
keeping with tradition and as your commander in chief, I hereby
absolve, and pardon, all cadets serving restrictions and confinements,'
he said. 'And that you earned, you earned it.'
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