Trump encourages University of Alabama graduates to work harder, never give up
Pres. Trump delivers speech at University of Alabama
President Trump's spring commencement address to graduating seniors at The University at Alabama.
President Donald Trump delivered a special commencement speech at the University of Alabama on Thursday.
What did Trump say?
Trump offered words of encouragement and advice to the graduating class.
"What a nice looking group this is," Trump said to open his speech. "There's nowhere I'd rather be than Tuscaloosa."
US President Donald Trump delivers commencement remarks at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on May 1, 2025. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
"You’re the first graduating class of the golden age of America," the president told the graduates.
Trump quickly launched into a campaign-style diatribe, saying that the U.S. was being "ripped off" before he took office and that the last four years, when he was out of power, "were not good for our country."
"But don’t let that scare you," he said. "It was an aberration."
On Thursday night, after talking up his tariff plans, sharing his successes from his first 100 days in office and bashing the media, he returned to words of encouragement.
"Now is the time to work harder than you’ve ever worked before," he said. "Find your limits and then smash through everything."
When is the speech?
What we know:
The event began at 6:30 p.m. CT (7:30 p.m. ET).
Trump will give his speech before Alabama’s regular degree conferral ceremonies on May 2, 3, and 4, according to the university website.
The event was held at the Coleman Coliseum and is open to all spring 2025 graduates.
What they're saying:
"The University of Alabama is honored to have been selected as one of the universities President Donald J. Trump will visit to deliver a spring commencement address," the university said in a statement.
How to watch the speech
LiveNOW from FOX will stream the event on YouTube and on the LiveNOW website.
You can also watch the event on the university’s website by clicking here.
Who else is speaking?
In addition to the president’s speech, former Alabama football coach Nick Saban and the university president, Stuart Bell, will be speaking at the event.
The Source: Information for this article was taken from the University of Alabama’s website, President Donald Trump’s Truth Social Account, and The Associated Press. This story was reported from Los Angeles.