Caine to Deliver Naval Academy Commencement, Trump Doing Coast Guard. Here's Why

Published May 19, 2026, 2:29 PM EDT

The scheduling, according to the USNA, is based on availability and nothing more.

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Published May 19, 2026, 2:29 PM EDT

President Donald Trump will not deliver the commencement address for the U.S. Naval Academy’s (USNA) Class of 2026 graduation ceremony, with the USNA telling Military.com it was based on scheduling and availability as opposed to other perceived reasons. Instead, Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the nation's highest-ranking military officer, will serve as speaker. The USNA announced Caine as the speaker just days before the ceremony, whereas when Vice President JD Vance delivered the commencement last fall, his commencement was made public roughly three weeks prior to the ceremony. Trump will serve as speaker for another graduation. He is currently scheduled to deliver the commencement address at the Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut, which the service announced earlier this month. "Speaker participation at U.S. service academy graduation and commissioning ceremonies has traditionally included senior national leaders such as the United States president, vice president, secretary of war, and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff," a USNA spokesperson told Military.com on Tuesday.