‘The Show Must Go On:’ Trump Celebrates Navy’s 250th Birthday Amid Government Shutdown

President Donald Trump hosted a Navy celebration today for its 250th birthday at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia, Sunday. 

While the government has been shut down since Wednesday, Trump said on Truth Social that “the show must go on” despite certain Democrats trying “to destroy this wonderful celebration of the U.S. Navy’s Birthday, and to stop our Military Servicemembers from celebrating American Naval History.” 

First lady Melania Trump, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and Secretary of the Navy John Phelan accompanied Trump for the celebration which included live-fire demonstrations and Top Gun flyovers.

Trump spoke to thousands of sailors while aboard the USS George H.W. Bush, a nuclear-powered supercarrier, and handed out challenge coins to them as well. 

“It’s called the United States Navy, and there’s nothing else in the world like it. Nothing. Not even close,” Trump said. “Whenever duty calls American sailors, we will win, win, win!”

Trump praised the Navy’s submarines, noting that the U.S. is “25 years ahead of other countries when it comes to submarines.”

“Nobody’s even close,” he said.

Trump also commended the Navy SEALs.

“There’s nobody tougher than the Navy SEALs—that’s what they tell me,” Trump said. “We’re not going to mess with the Navy SEALs. They are great.”

Trump told the sailors the U.S. is “putting out so many fires” when it comes to wars that hopefully they’ll never have to fight even though some of them might want to.

“I like your life better than mine, I have to be honest with you, sailing on those beautiful waters all the time,” Trump told the sailors. “You’re so lucky.”