WATCH LIVE: Dan Caine delivers Naval Academy commencement address

Published May 22, 2026 9:44am ET | Updated May 22, 2026 10:08am ET



Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the country’s top-ranking military officer, will deliver the commencement address at the U.S. Naval Academy at 10 a.m. Friday.

President Donald Trump was originally slated to speak to the graduating class, following Vice President JD Vance’s address last year, but backed out, likely due to scheduling conflicts.

CAINE — NOT TRUMP — TO ADDRESS NAVAL ACADEMY COMMENCEMENT IN BREAK FROM TRADITION

The Naval Academy usually cycles through four speakers in rotation: The Navy secretary, the war secretary, the vice president, and the president. Then-President Joe Biden delivered the commencement address in 2022.