'This celebration belongs to you': JD Vance credits service members for America's 250th birthday

VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA: Vice President JD Vance used a visit to Naval Air Station Oceana on Wednesday, July 1, to place America's upcoming 250th anniversary celebrations squarely on the shoulders of the nation's service members, telling troops they had "earned" the occasion through their service.

Speaking to sailors, Marines, and members of other military branches, Vance thanked them for carrying out missions over the past 18 months and said the country's next chapter would be shaped by their continued service. The visit formed part of the Trump administration's events marking the nation's semiquincentennial and highlighting support for the US military.

JD Vance praises troops ahead of America's 250th anniversary

Addressing more than 200 service members, Vance said America's milestone anniversary should be viewed as a tribute to those serving in uniform. "I can't think of any better group of people to spend this week before America's 250th birthday," Vance said.

He thanked the military on behalf of President Donald Trump and the administration, saying service members had repeatedly answered the nation's call. 

"The President has asked you to do more than I think any group of service members has ever been asked to do, and yet you've done it. Every single time we've given you a mission, you have accomplished it with pride and vigor," Vance noted. 

Vance said those efforts placed the military at the center of the country's anniversary celebrations: "You are what makes America great, and you should be celebrating our 250th birthday better than anybody in the United States of America because you've earned it."

The vice president also reflected on the role of the armed forces throughout American history.

"I want to say as we get ready to celebrate 250 years of great American history, I want you all to know that that celebration belongs to you, as much as it belongs to anybody in the United States of America," he said. 

"For 250 years, it is people like you who put on the uniform of the United States of America and made sure that our Constitution actually has meaning," he said. "Because of you, the next 250 years of the United States of America are gonna be better than the last 250 years," the 41-year-old added. 

JD Vance says troops deserve clear missions

Drawing on his own experience as a Marine Corps veteran, Vance said military personnel should only be deployed with clearly defined objectives and adequate resources. "I think you deserve to have a president of the United States who believes in you and gives you the weapons to win," he said. 

He contrasted the Trump administration's approach with what he described as previous conflicts lacking clearly stated goals. 

"But what we must never do is drop bombs just for the sake of dropping bombs," Vance noted. "He'll ask you to go to war, yes. But when he asks you to go to war, he'll tell you exactly what you're going for, and I think that is what you should expect out of your political leadership."

Vance also cited Operation Epic Fury, the recent US campaign targeting Iran, saying the mission reflected that approach. He said the administration was negotiating "from a position of strength" and credited the military for creating those conditions.