Donald J. Trump

And while we all pray for peace, those of us who have been to war pray the most.

I also recognize we must prepare for war.

I applaud the Secretary of War for his renewed focus on lethality and a mindset of war.

All of you here are warriors.

It is our job to be ready to take the fight to our nation's enemies.

We must always be ready, mentally, physically, and emotionally.

We must be lethal, because what is at stake is our very freedom.

China, North Korea, Russia, and so many others would love to deprive us of our freedoms.

And understand this, freedom is a gift.

It must be nurtured, preserved, protected.

And in the darkest times, it must be fought for.

All of you here are the front line of American freedom.

You are the titans of the sea.

So from John Paul Jones to the bin Laden raid, the U.S.

Navy has been instrumental in fighting and leading America's wars.

All of us here today, we stand on the shoulders of giants.

And those giants willingly picked up the flame of American freedom and carried it with them all around the world.

And unfortunately, some of them did not come home.

The U.S.

Navy has laid many warriors upon the altar of freedom.