Trump speaks to Coast Guard Academy graduates in New London

President Donald Trump offered life lessons and promises of new military funding to graduates of the US Coast Guard Academy in New London on Wednesday in his first visit to Connecticut since 2017.

Trump, speaking behind a clear protective partition after a series of assassination attempts over the last couple of years, led off his 53-minute speech with assertions of his administration’s success. He mixed political rhetoric with congratulatory sentiments focused on the graduates.

“A year and a half ago, two years ago, the last administration, we were a dead country. Right now, we’re the highest country anywhere, respected all over the world. You saw that with China just recently, you saw that in Venezuela, you saw that right now in Iran,” Trump said.

In his New London speech, Trump discussed the Iran war in context of “American dominance” in the world. 

“As an example, we will not let Iran have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. “They want to make a deal so badly. We’ll see what happens… We hit them very hard, but we may have to hit them even harder, but maybe not.”

Trump went on to thank individual Coast Guard and academy leaders, to enthusiastic applause.

As Trump approach an hour on stage and temperatures reached the upper 80s, attendees fanned themselves and walked to the front of the bleachers for bottles of water. Prior to Trump’s arrival, several in the audience needed medical attention in the intense heat and bright sun.

Near the start of his speech, Trump called up the academy’s top student to shake his hand, along with the school’s top athlete and one cadet directly admitted into the special forces. He also called up the academy’s class president, joking that if he didn’t single her out he’d be accused of “discrimination.”

“She looks so fantastic, this is ridiculous,” Trump said, as the graduate took the stage.

Distinguished graduate Matthew Lanzilotta was also singled out for his appearance. “I hate good-looking men.” Trump quipped after shaking hands with Lanzilotta.

Promising new ice breakers and more funding, Trump praised the Coast Guard’s actions in recent actions against drug traffickers and during natural disasters.

“From the Gulf of America to the frozen waters of the Arctic, from the shores of Havana to the banks of the Panama Canal, we will drive out the forces of lawlessness and crime and foreign encroachment, just like we’ve been doing,” Trump said.

Trump also spoke about serving a third term while talking about Finland delivering an ice breaker to the United States in 2028. “I’ll be here in ‘28,” the two-term president said. “I may be here in ‘32, too.”

The comment drew scattered applause, but was mostly met with silence.

Trump closed his speech by imparting some advice for the graduates: “work hard,” “never give up,” and, on theme for the setting: “Keep your eyes on the boat.”

Prior to Trump’s remarks, Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Kevin Lunday thanked the president for a funding increase provided to the armed force in both the 2027 defense budget and last year’s  One Big Beautiful Bill Act . 

“Thank you for your visionary leadership to renewing the Coast Guard, starting with last year’s record capital investment,” Lunday said. 

Trump shook his fist in the air in response.

The Coast Guard was allocated nearly $25 billion as part of Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, with funds being spent on cutters, boats, facilities and technology, Lunday said. 

The president’s appearance also drew about 200 protesters to a park near the entrance of the Coast Guard Academy.

The speech was Trump’s first appearance in Connecticut since 2017, when he also delivered the commencement address to Coast Guard academy graduates. In those remarks, Trump called out his “critics and naysayers” after a barrage of criticism over his firing of James Comey as FBI director.

Comey is currently facing charges in North Carolina alleging that he threatened Trump by posting an Instagram photo of seashells in the numerical arrangement of “86 47.” Comey has countered that the message was political, not encouraging violence.

Secret Service agents questioned several protesters in New London on Wednesday who held signs emblazoned with “86 47″ messages.

One of those protesters was Alan Jacques of Waterford, who said agents had asked him what his “understanding of the sign” was. “It means to me what it means to 99% of the people in this country,” Jacques said. “Get rid of Trump, put him in the trash.”

“And it’s support for (former FBI director) James Comey, who is being persecuted,” Kathy Jacques, Alan’s wife, chimed in. 

Former President Joe Biden visited New London for the Coast Guard graduation in 2021. 

The event marked the graduation of 260 cadets from U.S. Coast Guard Academy. The cadets got their first job assignments to Coast Guard units on “Billet Night” in March. 

Gov. Ned Lamont said on Tuesday that he would skip Trump’s visit. “I worry with the president there it will be very politicized,” Lamont said at a meeting with the press in Hartford. 

But Lamont’s rival in the governor’s race, Republican state Sen. Ryan Fazio of Greenwich, attended the event and posed for selfies in front of the stands before the president’s speech. Fazio was nominated as the GOP candidate on the first ballot at the state’s Republican Convention on May 15 in Uncasville.

With just under an hour to go before the Trump’s speech to the graduates, medics had already responded to several people in distress. The stands where attendees awaited Trump on the academy’s campus were in direct sunlight with little shade, and many fanned themselves vigorously with programs as they waited. 

Highs in New London were more than 20 degrees above average. Record high temperatures were forecasted for across Connecticut on Wednesday due to the year’s first heat wave.

The president’s visit comes after US Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and US Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana lost their Republican primary races after Trump backed their opponents.

Polls in recent weeks show that Trump’s approval ratings are on the wane among Republican, Democratic and independent voters, with respondents citing concerns about rising gas prices and the war in Iran. On immigration, the president’s approval ratings have improved as aggressive enforcement actions drop out of the headlines.

State police were keeping media and people who came to Groton-New London Airport well away from the airfield on Wednesday Morning

Leaning against a utility pole on the perimeter, longtime Trump supporter Dianne Kenyon of Groton expressed dismay. “It is very disappointing,” Kenyon said. “I feel like I should be able to see my president.”

At the same time, however, Kenyon said she understood the need for tight security, especially with recent assassination attempts.

The Federal Aviation Administration announced a temporary flight restriction for the airspace around New London for the president’s visit, limiting air traffic in a radius of about 36 miles around New London, including much of eastern Connecticut, parts of Rhode Island and the twin forks of Long Island.

New London Police Chief Brian Wright said that the flight restriction included any kind of drone flight. “Members of the public should not fly hobby or commercial drones anywhere over the city during this period,” Wright said.

Air Force One landed at the airport at 10:51 and Trump got off the plane wearing a suit and light-blue tie about 20 minutes later, descending a red-carpeted staircase at the middle of the plane.Trump was taken to the academy in a limousine followed by a motorcade of black SUVs. He walked into the graduation area flanked by saluting cadets in black uniforms with white hats, pausing briefly to wave to the crowd, which respond with cheers.

Trump stood saluting as a 21-gun salute was fired, flanked on his left by Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin.  

Among the crowd gathered in McKinley Park to protest Trumps’ arrival were several people holding “86 47” signs, a message they said meant  they want Trump removed from office. The president has argued the phrase — “86” is a common term for removing a customer in the service industry — is a violent threat.

In earshot of a Hearst Connecticut reporter, a Secret Service agent told a protester that she had the discretion to intervene if a sign’s message was violent. “Free speech is completely fine, but when it impedes on threatening speech it’s our job to get involved,” the agent said.

A few minutes later, the same pair of agents approached Janet Dassau of Norwich, who was also holding an “86 47” signs. 

“Get rid of Trump,” Dassau said when asked about the signs message. “Get rid of all his bad decisions, and all his lies and all his minions.” She said that when she was approached by the agents asking about her sign, she told them to “leave me alone.”

“They just kept saying we want to know what you mean, we want to know what you mean,” she said. “I didn’t know this would be such an issue.” Dassau said her sign wasn’t a message about Comey, just a general expression of disdain for the president. 

The Secret Service agents on scene declined to comment.

In a new Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday afternoon, nearly two-thirds of voters surveyed disapproved of the way Trump is handling the economy, an all-time low in either of his terms as president.  The new poll quizzed 1,106 self-identified registered voters nationwide from May 14-18.

Among independents, 70% disapproved of the way Trump is handling the economy, while 27% approved, Quinnipiac said. 

In another finding, 68% of voters polled by Quinnipiac thought Trump was not focused enough on addressing the problems most Americans are facing.

Support for the Iran war also dropped slightly relative to earlier this year, with only 38% of voters supporting U.S. military action compared to 56% opposed. In an April 15 Quinnipiac poll, 40% supported the U.S. military action against Iran and 53% opposed it.