We may have to hit them even harder: Trump warns Iran
Washington, May 21 : President Donald Trump used a commencement address at the US Coast Guard Academy to praise the graduating class, defend his administration’s immigration and economic policies, and issue fresh warnings to Iran, saying Tehran would never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.
Addressing the graduating class of 2026 in New London, Connecticut, on Wednesday (local time), Trump described the United States as “the hottest country anywhere in the world” and told cadets they were entering service at a moment of renewed American strength.
“We will not let Iran have a nuclear weapon. That's all. It's very simple,” Trump said. “They will not have a nuclear weapon, and they want to make a deal so badly.”
Trump said the US had “hit them very hard” and added: “We may have to hit them even harder, but maybe not.”
The President repeatedly linked the Coast Guard’s recent operations to US efforts against Iran, illegal narcotics trafficking and maritime enforcement.
He said Coast Guard tactical teams had helped seize sanctioned Iranian oil vessels and claimed the service played “an important role in Operation Epic Fury to ensure that the Iranian regime never obtains a nuclear weapon”.
Trump also highlighted maritime interdictions and anti-drug missions, saying the Coast Guard had seized “over 206 million lethal doses of illicit narcotics” since he returned to office. He called the service central to what he described as a maritime “Wall of Steel”.
In remarks blending military praise with campaign-style political rhetoric, Trump attacked the previous administration’s border policies, claiming the US had gone “from the worst border in history to the strongest border we've ever had”.
He also promoted his tariff policies and manufacturing agenda, saying: “We have $18 trillion being invested in our country.” Trump argued that tariffs were bringing semiconductor and automobile manufacturing back to the United States.
Throughout the speech, Trump frequently broke from prepared remarks to interact with cadets and praise individual achievements.
He recognised Distinguished Graduate Matthew Lanzilotta for achieving the highest military and academic scores in the class and invited fitness standout Thomas Rhodes to the stage after describing him as the only cadet to earn perfect scores on every fitness test for four consecutive years.
Trump also highlighted Mike Kedish, whom he described as “the first Coast Guard Academy graduate to ever go straight from the core of cadets into the Coast Guard special forces”.
The President praised Coast Guard rescue operations during hurricanes and natural disasters and called the service “the only service explicitly dedicated to saving lives”. He said Coast Guard personnel had saved more than 5,200 lives in the past year and assisted over 19,000 people to safety.
Trump also announced major investments in Coast Guard infrastructure, including new cutters, helicopters and icebreakers. He said the US was working with Finland to develop a larger fleet of Arctic icebreakers.
“Russia has 48, and we have one very old one,” he said. “We're making 11 total.”
The Coast Guard Academy in New London is one of the five US federal service academies and trains officers for the maritime branch of the armed forces. Graduates are commissioned as ensigns in the Coast Guard upon completion of their studies.
Trump, who previously addressed the academy during his first term, became the first US president to deliver a second commencement address at the institution. During the speech, he repeatedly praised the cadets’ discipline, resilience and patriotism, telling them: “You will fight, fight, fight, and you will win, win, win.”