Trump tells West Point grads to avoid 'trophy wives' in commencement speech
President Donald Trump told graduates to avoid "trophy wives" during his commencement address at the United States Military Academy at West Point on May 24.
"He ended up getting a divorce, found a new wife. Could you say a trophy wife? I guess we can say a trophy wife," Trump said, referring to real estate developer Bill Levitt. "But that doesn't work out too well, I must tell you, a lot of trophy wives, it doesn't it work."
Trump has been married three times: Ivana Zelníčková – married in 1977, divorced in 1990; Marla Maples – married in 1993, divorced in 1999; and Melania Knauss, now First Lady Melania Trump – married in 2005. Each worked as professional models before their engagement to Trump.
The anecdote came during the commencement address, in which Trump touted his administration's isolationist stances and the ending of diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
"The job of the U.S. armed forces is not to host drag shows, to transform foreign cultures (and) spread democracy to everybody around the world at the point of a gun," he said. "The military's job is to dominate any foe and annihilate any threat to America, anywhere, anytime and any place."
The military academy shut down a slew of on-campus organizations, including the Corbin Forum, a leadership club for female cadets, and Spectrum, a gay-straight alliance, in February following an executive order ending diversity, equity and inclusion policies in the federal government, according to Military.com.
"We've liberated our troops from divisive and demeaning political trainings," Trump said. "There will be no more critical race theory or transgender for everybody forced onto our brave men and women in uniform — or on anybody else for that matter, in this country."
Trump, wearing his campaign's red MAGA hat, also pulled a common campaign reference in the speech, saying, "I went through a very tough time with some very radicalized sick, people. I say I was investigated more than the great, late Alphonse Capone."
Trump was convicted in 2024 on 34 counts of falsifying business records to hide a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump tells West Point graduates to avoid 'trophy wives'
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