Vice President J.D. Vance stood with America’s Marines Saturday to honor 250 years of an institution that has kept this country safe and free. The Camp Pendleton demonstration—an amphibious, live-fire display attended by Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth—was a fitting tribute to the men and women who have answered the call to defend liberty. This celebration was never about political theater; it was about readiness, courage, and remembering that strength preserves peace.
Predictably, California’s political class tried to turn a proud military event into another Washington-versus-state stunt. Governor Gavin Newsom loudly criticized the exercise and pushed for highway closures, seizing on fear and spectacle instead of acknowledging the military’s assurances that the training was safe and routine. Conservatives should see through this playbook: when the left can’t win on policy, they try to score points by attacking our armed forces.
Vance, a Marine veteran himself, spoke like someone who understands what it takes to secure freedom: blunt, unapologetic, and loyal to the troops. That straightforwardness is refreshing in an era of euphemism and cowardice; Americans want leaders who tell the truth about what it takes to defend a nation. When he praised the Marines’ history of defeating tyrants and keeping the peace across the globe, he was honoring real sacrifice, not manufacturing controversy.
Make no mistake: demonstrations of power matter. The synchronized operations of Navy ships, aircraft, amphibious vehicles and Marines on display are not a vanity show — they are deterrence in action. While elites posture for headlines, real commanders and real troops plan and rehearse so that when threats arise, America’s response is immediate and decisive. Those who criticize readiness while our enemies and criminal cartels run rampant are irresponsible and dangerous.
The outrage from the coastal political class is especially rich when you remember who does the fighting and dying for our freedoms: ordinary Americans who sign up and answer the call. Vance’s presence as the first Marine-serving vice president underscores a deeper truth—this administration is committed to rebuilding lethality and supporting the force, not neutering it to appease Twitter mobs. Our enemies watch weakness for cracks; the only language they respect is strength.
Enough with the performative safety theater and political grandstanding. Patriots don’t apologize for loving our country or for celebrating the people who defend it. If a governor wants to play politics with our military, voters should remember it at the ballot box and on Main Street. Elected officials should stand with the troops, not use them as props for partisan stunts.
We owe our Marines more than handwringing and hollow criticism; we owe them support, funding, and leaders who will call enemies by their names and not cower at the sight of a training exercise. Vice President Vance did what leaders should do: he stood with America’s finest, reminded the nation why strength matters, and honored a legacy of service that has toppled tyrants and defended liberty for generations. Hardworking Americans know who to trust when it comes to our defense—the Marines, and those who back them.
