Pence to Navy grads: Trump ‘will always have your back’

Vice President Pence expressed the Trump administration’s support of the U.S. military at the United States Naval Academy graduation ceremony in Annapolis, Md., Friday, telling the graduates that the president would “always have your back.”

“As you prepare to assume your duties, I want to say to the new officers and to your families, President Donald Trump is the best friend the armed forces of the United States will ever have,” Pence said during his commencement address.

“And I’ll make you a promise, no matter where you’re called to serve, no matter what the mission, this commander in chief will always have your back.”

{mosads}The vice president went on to tout the Trump administration’s commitment to increased military spending, saying Trump is ensuring the military has “all the resources that you need to accomplish your mission and come home safe.”

“President Trump signed a $21 billion increase in funding for our armed forces, the largest investment in military readiness in nearly a decade,” he said.

Pence went on to promote increased military spending seen in Trump’s proposed budget, which was unveiled on Tuesday.

“Earlier this week in his very first budget, your commander in chief laid out one of the largest increases in defense spending since the days of President Ronald Reagan. Let me be clear: The era of budget cuts of the armed forces of the United States is over,” Pence said

The budget adds close to half a trillion dollars in defense spending, while seeking $1.5 trillion in nondefense discretionary cuts and $1.4 trillion in Medicaid cuts over the next 10 years.