Vice President JD Vance delivered the commencement address at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs during the 68th graduating ceremony, where more than 900 cadets were commissioned into the U.S.Air Force and Space Force.

In his speech, Vance addressed the audience with an unusual preemptive warning against heckling, referencing recent incidents at other graduation ceremonies where speakers, particularly corporate leaders discussing artificial intelligence, had been booed by audiences.

He told the cadets that while such reactions had occurred elsewhere, they should not expect to do the same during his remarks, stating, “You can’t boo me.I’m the Vice President of the United States.

” The Vice President’s comments came in the context of growing public tension around political figures and high-profile speakers receiving vocal backlash at public events.

Vance also referenced his own experiences of being booed in public appearances, including at the Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Milan and during an event in Michigan.

His remarks highlighted both the increasing polarization in public discourse and the controlled environment expected at military academies, where active-duty personnel and cadets are bound by strict regulations that prohibit political demonstrations while in uniform.

Beyond the warning about audience behavior, Vance touched on broader themes in his speech, including the role of artificial intelligence in modern warfare.

He stated that AI would inevitably transform how wars are fought but emphasized that the United States maintains a distinct commitment to conducting warfare justly.

The ceremony concluded with traditional elements, including a flyover by the Air Force Thunderbirds, marking the formal commissioning of the graduating class.

Overall, the speech combined ceremonial messaging with pointed remarks about audience conduct and contemporary political culture, reflecting both the formality of the military setting and the increasingly contentious atmosphere surrounding public appearances by national leaders.