Naval Academy grads will respect the president's office but not necessarily the man
By Stephen Wrage
May 22 at 6:19 PM
Stephen Wrage is a professor in the political science department at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis. This piece reflects the author’s views and not those of the Navy or any other organization.
The day it was announced that President Trump would speak at the U.S. Naval Academy graduation, I received startling emails from several midshipmen, written to my private email account from their private accounts. One message said: “We are under no obligation to clap for Donald Trump. Trump wants the image of young service members cheering him on and we can deny him that image.” Another proposed an online petition on social media, pledging not to applaud Trump at commissioning. There were four more with similar themes: “We are taught selflessness; he practices narcissism.” “If he is a role model, it is only in the exact opposite.”
This sort of defiance was new to me, even after 25 years of teaching at the academy. Their complaints centered on the president’s character. After a series of exchanges, the mids agreed that no action should mar their commissioning on Friday, except insofar as Trump himself will mar it.
The mids found a better model in Defense Secretary Jim Mattis — a better model of a leader and a better way to conduct themselves. At Trump’s first full Cabinet meeting, when he went around the table demanding expressions of adulation, Mattis didn’t comply. The retired Marine Corps general performed what one mid admiringly called “the Mattis sidestep.” Mattis countered with respect for the people he leads: “Mr. President, it’s an honor to represent the men and women of the Department of Defense. We are grateful for the sacrifices our people are making in order to strengthen our military, so our diplomats always negotiate from a position of strength.” The mids will sidestep Trump. They will withhold the praise he wants but they will show no sign of disrespect.
Trump is needy, and military events such as the parade in Paris excite him. There are some mids who will be thrilled by him, and some parents from red states will be tempted to treat the ceremony like a rally, but most will sense how much the day means to their daughters and sons and will restrain themselves. Some faculty will want to turn their backs or walk out when Trump speaks, but most who would protest will just stay home.
There is no question, however, how the officers whom the midshipmen report to will behave: They will offer the quiet deference they owe to the office of the president. They speak with full academic freedom in their classrooms, but they maintain military decorum at a ceremony.
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