Biden scheduled to give commencement address at West Point this Saturday | Global News

US President Biden is set to deliver the commencement speech at the US Military Academy at West Point, New York, this Saturday, amidst ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. The speech, which will be before some 1,000 US Army cadets, is part of Biden’s efforts to highlight the administration’s support for active and retired military personnel.

One of the key initiatives Biden will likely touch upon is a bipartisan law he signed two years ago to help veterans exposed to burn pits or other poisons access healthcare more easily. This speech comes ahead of Memorial Day services at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia on Monday, and a trip to Normandy, France, to mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion.

Biden is expected to address the heroism of Allied forces in World War Two and the current threats to democracy. This will be his first time addressing a graduating class at West Point as president, with his last speech at the academy being as vice president.

The event is unlikely to see protests, unlike other college campuses nationwide that have erupted in sometimes-violent demonstrations over Biden’s support for Israel’s actions against Hamas. Trump, Biden’s potential Republican challenger in 2024, was the last president to speak at a West Point commencement in 2020.

As Biden continues to focus on military support and honor the sacrifices of service members, his speech at West Point is expected to resonate with the cadets and the wider military community.