Vice President JD Vance, the first U.S. Marine Corps veteran to serve in the nation’s second-highest office, visits Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia to meet with active-duty service members and reaffirm the administration’s dedication to military strength, patriotism, and readiness. Vance, who served four years in the Marine Corps including a deployment to Iraq, shares personal reflections and policy direction during his address.
Arriving by helicopter, Vance tours the base, meets with Marines, and delivers remarks underscoring the administration’s message of support for the armed forces. Acknowledging his late arrival, Vance jokes about Marine Corps discipline, referencing a former gunnery sergeant’s guidance on punctuality. He explains the delay is due to a last-minute meeting with President Trump—who, Vance says, insisted he go ahead and deliver his message to the Marines.
Vance shares that message directly with the troops: “He wanted me to tell you two things—first, that he loves you. And second, that he’s proud of you.” Drawing from his own experiences as a young Marine, Vance recalls how the Corps provided structure and accountability that shaped his life. He tells a story about a senior Marine preventing him from making a bad financial decision early in his career, illustrating the culture of mentorship embedded within the military.
The vice president also addresses current defense policies, delivering pointed criticism of what he calls “woke” policies and diversity mandates in the military. “No more quotas, no more ridiculous mumbo jumbo, no more diversity trainings,” Vance declares, adding that the Trump administration is focused on restoring a standard of excellence, combat effectiveness, and patriotism in all military branches.
After his speech, Vance visits the mess hall, serving food to Marines and dining with service members from his home state of Ohio. He later participates in a visit to the base’s shooting range, engaging with weapons systems alongside active-duty personnel.
The visit comes as the administration faces questions over a group chat involving top officials—including Vance—that inadvertently included a journalist in a conversation about upcoming airstrikes in Yemen. Vance dismisses the controversy, suggesting the media has exaggerated the situation and reaffirming that no classified information was compromised.
Vice President Vance’s appearance at Quantico marks a symbolic moment for both the Marine Corps and the current administration, reinforcing the message that the White House intends to prioritize military preparedness and honor the service of U.S. troops in both words and action.
Sources:
- https://www.potomaclocal.com/2025/03/26/vice-president-jd-vance-visits-marines-at-quantico-brings-message-from-president
- https://baynews9.com/fl/tampa/politics/2025/03/26/vance-marines-houthi-signal-group-chat-texts
- https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/politics/2025/03/26/vance-marines-houthi-signal-group-chat-texts
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXJIiLBkPwQ
