May 25, 2019 - Politics & Policy

Mike Pence: West Point grads should expect to see combat

Photo: David Dee Delgado/Getty Images

Vice President Mike Pence told the 2019 graduating class of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point on Saturday that the world is a "dangerous place" and the graduates should expect to witness combat in the future.

The big picture: Pence also told the graduates that some of them will "join the fight against radical Islamic terrorists in Afghanistan and Iraq," as the U.S. prepares to send thousands of troops to the Middle East amid growing tensions with Iran.

What he's saying:

  • Pence said that President Trump "will always have your back" as they get ready to "join the fight."
  • He also shared that Trump proposed the largest defense budget in U.S. history as the nation "is once again embracing our role as the leader of the free world."
  • The vice president noted the diversity of the graduating class — which has the largest number of graduating African American women in the Academy's history.

Watch Pence's commencement speech:

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