At a Navy anniversary event on October 5, 2025, at Naval Station Norfolk, President Trump celebrated what he called 250 years of America’s “maritime dominance.”
The ceremony, officially titled America’s Navy 250: Titans of the Sea — A Salute to the Fleet, began with the patriotic song “I’m Proud to Be an American” as Trump took the podium wearing his trademark red “USA” hat. Speaking aboard the USS Harry S. Truman and later the USS George H.W. Bush, he delivered a 45-minute address before thousands of sailors, veterans, and military families.
Trump praised U.S. sailors for their service and vowed that the United States would remain unmatched at sea. “Every tyrant and adversary on the planet knows their choice is very simple,” he declared. “It’s leave America in peace or be blown up in fire and fury never seen before.” He said America’s enemies “tremble at the sight of a Navy ship,” underscoring his message that U.S. naval power is the cornerstone of national strength and deterrence.
Despite the government shutdown, service members were assured they would “get every last penny,” with “across-the-board” pay raises to follow once the impasse ends. Speaking alongside First Lady Melania Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, the president reaffirmed his $1 trillion military investment plan focused on expanding shipbuilding, revitalizing shipyards, and strengthening national defense. Trump told the assembled sailors that the United States would once again build ships “on American soil,” a pledge that drew loud applause.
He also pledged to eliminate “wokeness” from the armed forces, saying he had directed Hegseth to restore a “warrior culture” and end DEI programs and identity-based policies within the ranks. Hegseth echoed the president’s stance, asserting that the Navy’s strength lies in its “unity of purpose, not diversity.”
Secretary of the Navy John Phelan reinforced the theme of power and readiness, declaring that sea power defines superpower status and that the United States continues to project “deadly precision, raw power, and the will to use it.”
Trump praised the Navy’s legacy of loyalty, sacrifice, and commitment, recounting how it evolved from two small ships authorized by the Continental Congress in 1775 into the world’s most powerful maritime force. He noted that when America’s fledgling fleet first faced the British Empire, many doubted its chances, but “they didn’t know the audacity and grit of the American sailor.”
Citing Captain John Paul Jones as the father of the Navy, Trump recalled how Jones famously declared, “I have not yet begun to fight,” before defeating a far stronger British ship—a story he said still defines the Navy’s fighting spirit.
Turning to the present, Trump celebrated what he called an “incredible rebound” in military recruitment, noting that 2025 marked the Navy’s best recruiting year ever. “We have a waiting list for every branch now,” he said, “and that includes police, police, and firemen.” He recalled how bad things were a year ago under Biden, saying, “Nobody wanted to be a policeman. Now they want to be a policeman.”
He then added that people now want to join all branches of the military, including the Space Force. “They love Space Force,” he said, before adding with a grin, “I love Space Force because I created Space Force. That was my thing. And it’s going to turn out to be one of the most important.”
“But one year ago, our country was dead. And today we have the hottest country anywhere in the world by far,” said the president. “Now you have a different problem. You know what the problem is? Everybody wants your job,” he joked. “I like that better, right?”
He then quickly assured the sailors, “But nobody’s going to take your job. You were with us when it was not as nice. Those are the people I like the best, too—the people that were with me when it wasn’t looking so good.”
Trump concluded, “With your help, we will fight, fight, fight. We will win, win, win. Because of you, our Navy and our country will always be proud and righteous and mighty and free.
Congratulations once again on 250 years of total dominance.
Sail fast. Stay strong. Thank you. God bless our sailors, and God bless the United States of America.”
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