Trump brings two Coast Guard record-holders onstage at commencement

Trump brings two Coast Guard record-holders onstage at commencement

President Donald Trump paused his commencement address at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut, on May 20, 2026, to invite two graduating athletes onto the stage in recognition of program records they had set during their time at the academy.

The first, Broock Desta, is the academy’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. Over 36 career games, Desta caught 234 passes for 3,487 yards and 29 touchdowns, and also accounted for a rushing and a passing touchdown. The second, Abby McAllister, holds the women’s lacrosse program’s all-time records in assists and points. Trump remarked that the graduating class was “blessed with many tremendous athletes” and said the on-stage recognition was merited given the scale of what both athletes had achieved.

During the segment, Trump referenced a policy change he had pursued allowing graduates of U.S. military academies to pursue professional sports before completing their active-duty service obligation. Under earlier rules, graduates were required to serve five years before entering professional leagues, a timeline that effectively precluded high draft selections. Trump credited the change with improving recruiting at the service academies by making them viable options for athletes with professional prospects.

Trump also touched on college athletics more broadly, noting a recent executive order he signed directing federal agencies to evaluate whether universities that violate rules on eligibility, player transfers, and pay-for-play arrangements should be deemed ineligible for federal grants and contracts.