Vice President JD Vance told Naval Academy graduates on Friday that the Trump administration has “reversed course” in foreign policy after previous leaders “traded hard power for soft power.”
“No more undefined missions, no more open-ended conflicts—we’re returning to a strategy grounded in realism and protecting our core national interests,” he said.
Vance said Trump will use the U.S. military in a more disciplined approach, vowing that troops will only be sent to war with very specific goals in mind, emphasizing that military power should be used “decisively, with a clear objective.”
It doesn’t mean ignoring threats, Vance said, but approaching them with more discipline.
The vice president cited Trump’s recent order to use force against Houthi rebels in Yemen. The order, Vance said, ultimately led to a cease-fire in which the Houthis agreed to halt attacks on American shipping targets in the Gulf.
Vance also told graduates that this administration marks the end of policies that meddle in the affairs of other countries and a return to a strategy of “realism” and protecting core national interests.
Vance highlighted America’s standing on the world stage under Trump’s watch. The vice president praised Trump’s Middle East trip last week when he met with leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Trump secured major investments during that trip, and the four-day trip signified the end of a decades-long approach in foreign policy, Vance said.
“We had a long experiment in our foreign policy that traded national defense and the maintenance of our alliances for nation-building and meddling in foreign countries’ affairs,” Vance said.
“Even when those foreign countries had very little to do with poor American interests. What we’re seeing from President Trump is a generational shift in policy with profound implications for the job that each and every one of you will be asked to do.”
The vice president also addressed the changing nature of warfare. He warned that the country is entering a new and dangerous era as adversaries, including Russia and China, continue to be determined to beat the United States in every single domain.
In the wake of the Cold War, the vice president said, the United States went mostly unchallenged in the areas of air, sea, and space. American policies aimed at the economic integration of U.S. competitors had backfired, and the days of uncontested dominance are over, Vance said.
His remarks align with Trump’s perspective that NATO nations need to spend more on their own defenses and do their part to finally ease the financial burden on the United States.
Earlier this week, Trump called for increased U.S. military spending and ordered the construction of the Golden Dome missile defense system. The concept, which would cost $175 billion, includes space-based missiles that would launch from satellites in orbit to intercept conventional and nuclear missiles launched from Earth.
Vance’s speech marks his first remarks as vice president at one of the military service academies. During his speech, Vance also talked about his own military experience, after serving in the Marine Corps right after high school for four years, deploying to Iraq, and working as a military journalist.
Vance reminded the graduates that the day marks a major milestone in their lives and advised them to begin their lives in their fleets with a spirit of gratitude.
There were 1,049 graduates in Annapolis’ Class of 2025. The vice president shook hands with every graduate during the ceremony.
Meanwhile, Trump is scheduled to speak to graduates of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in New York on Saturday.
