President Trump's West Point commencement address was controversial as soon as it was planned months ago.
The main concern was that he was forcing cadets back to campus prematurely amid the coronavirus pandemic. That sentiment lingered up until Saturday when the ceremony took place, but the nationwide protests against police brutality and the military's uncertain security role during the unrest added another layer of possible contentiousness. But the president mostly veered away from overtly discussing politics in his remarks; he didn't mention anything about conflicts between him and high-ranking commanders, the possibility of renaming bases that currently honor Confederate officers, or about the protests themselves, aside from a vague reference to "turbulent times."
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