The Vice President said the US is returning to a realism-based strategy and protecting its core national interests.
Vice President JD Vance told a graduate of the Naval Academy on Friday that the Trump administration has a “reversal” of foreign policy after previous leaders “exchanged soft power for hard power.”
“There is no more defined mission or free conflict. It goes back to a realism-based strategy and protects the core national interests,” he said.
Vance said Trump will use the US military with a more trained approach, vowing to be sent to war with very specific goals in mind, emphasizing that military forces should be used “for clear and clear purposes.”
He said that it doesn’t mean ignoring the threat, but approaching them with more discipline.
The vice president cited Trump’s recent order to use force against the Hooty rebels in Yemen. Vance said the order ultimately led to a ceasefire in which Houthis agreed to halt attacks on US shipping targets in the Gulf.
Vance also told graduates that the administration marks the end of policies that interfere with the operations of other countries, indicating a return to “realism” and strategies to protect core national interests.
Vance highlighted America’s status on the world stage under the Trump clock. The vice president praised Trump’s trip to the Middle East last week and met with leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Trump secured massive investments during his trip, and the four-day trip marked the end of a decades-long approach to foreign policy, Vance said.
“We have done a long experiment in foreign policy, swapping the maintenance of national defense and national construction and the alliance for interference in foreign issues,” Vance said.
“Even if these foreign countries have little to do with American interests. What we see from President Trump is a generational change in policies that have deep meaning in the work that each and every one of you is required to do.”
The Vice President also addressed the changing nature of war. He warned that the country is entering a new and dangerous era as its enemies, including Russia and China, continue to resolve to defeat the United States in all territories.
In the wake of the Cold War, the Vice President said the United States had been challenged in areas of air, sea and space. The American policy aimed at economic integration of US competitors has backfired, and the era of uncontested domination is over, Vance said.
His comments are consistent with Trump’s perspective that NATO countries need to spend more on their defense and ultimately play their part in easing the US financial burden.
Earlier this week, Trump called for an increase in US military spending and ordered the construction of a Golden Dome missile defense system. The concept costs $175 billion and includes traditional nuclear missiles launched from Earth and space-based missiles fired from satellites in orbit to intercept nuclear missiles.
Vance’s speech shows his first statement as vice president at one of the military service academies. In his speech, Vance also spoke about his own military experience after serving in the Marines shortly after high school, deployed to Iraq and working as a military journalist.
Vance reminded the alumni that the day marked a major milestone in their lives and encouraged them to begin their lives with a fleet in a spirit of gratitude.
There were 1,049 alumni in the 2025 Annapolis class. The Vice President shook hands with all the alumni during the ceremony.
Meanwhile, Trump is scheduled to speak on Saturday with alumni at the US military academy in West Point, New York.
Reuters contributed to this report.
