President Donald Trump collected another honorary doctorate Saturday, bringing his total back up to four. The latest award, from Liberty University, fills a void left by the revocation of a degree from Robert Gordon University in Scotland in 2015.
Robert Gordon had bestowed an honorary doctorate of business administration in 2010 - a controversial move at the time because the Aberdeen community where the university is located was divided over a Trump-led golf course project.
But after Trump called for "a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States" in December 2015, the university promptly withdrew the degree.
"In the course of the current U.S. election campaign, Mr. Trump has made a number of statements that are wholly incompatible with the ethos and values of the university," Robert Gordon said in a statement. "The university has therefore decided to revoke its award of the honorary degree."
That left Trump three other honorary doctorates. Lehigh University awarded him an honorary doctorate of laws in 1988, Wagner College awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters in 2004 and Liberty awarded a doctorate of business in 2012. The degree Liberty awarded Trump on Saturday was an honorary doctorate of laws.
When Trump delivered the commencement address at Lehigh 29 years ago, the Morning Call of Allentown, Pennsylvania, reported that "the real estate magnate's remarks were surprisingly liberal." Yet Trump also sounded, at times, very much like the candidate who won the White House.
"Country-wide, we have serious problems," he told the Lehigh graduates. "So many countries are whipping America ... making billions and stripping the United States of economic dignity. I respect the Japanese, but we have to fight back."
Discussing his own college classmates, Trump claimed that "50 percent in the class are decimated by drugs or alcohol." Then he delivered a warning: "Now we have the additional obstacle of AIDS. Be very careful - it's out there." Trump graduated from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in economics in 1968.
Trump was following on the heels of Bill Cosby, who had been Lehigh's commencement speaker the year before.
Lehigh revoked Cosby's honorary degree in October 2015 as dozens of women accused the comedian of sexual assault. A Lehigh professor urged the university to rescind Trump's degree too, but the school took no action.
By 2004, when Trump addressed the graduates of Wagner, on Staten Island, the twice-divorced billionaire had another piece of advice for new grads: "Always have a prenuptial agreement."
Trump's message on Saturday to the graduates of Liberty University, the nation's largest Christian college, focused on standing strong in their beliefs. He likened what the grads will encounter in secular society to what he faces as a political outsider in Washington.
"Being an outsider is fine," Trump said. "Embrace the label because it's the outsiders who change the world and who make a real and lasting difference."
The Washington Post
Sun May 14 2017
By 2004, when Trump addressed the graduates of Wagner, on Staten Island, the twice-divorced billionaire had another piece of advice for new grads: "Always have a prenuptial agreement."
VOP akan diselesaikan dalam tempoh sebulan - Ahmad
Pelaksanaan Syarat Perubahan Harga (VOP) susulan penyasaran subsidi diesel dijangka diselesaikan dalam tempoh sebulan lagi, kata Timbalan Menteri Kerja Raya Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan.
Industri minyak sawit disaran guna semula sisa untuk bahan api penerbangan mampan - Liew
Industri minyak sawit perlu mengkaji penggunaan semula sisa sebagai stok suapan penting untuk bahan api penerbangan mampan (SAF), di luar penggunaan tradisional minyak sawit.
SDG: UTP lahir pelajar berkemahiran, tinggi tanggungjawab sosial
UTP berhasrat mendidik pelajar bukan sahaja untuk mahir dalam aspek teknikal tetapi juga untuk menjadi warganegara yang bertanggungjawab.
MAA semak semula unjuran jualan kenderaan 2024 kepada 765,000 unit
Persatuan Automotif Malaysia (MAA) telah menyemak semula unjuran jualan kenderaan bermotor baharu bagi 2024 kepada 765,000 unit daripada anggaran sebelumnya sebanyak 740,000 unit.
RUU 355: Pindaan perlu untuk praktikaliti, keadilan
Apa sahaja pindaan terhadap akta itu perlu berjalan selari dengan persediaan mereka yang bertanggungjawab melaksanakannya.
Rasionalisasi RON95 dijangka beri impak lebih besar kepada PKS - SAMENTA
SAMENTA menjangkakan rasionalisasi RON95 akan memberi impak yang lebih besar kepada perusahaan kecil dan sederhana (PKS) berbanding pelarasan subsidi diesel.
Malaysia sasar pengeluaran 40 peratus sektor akuakultur menjelang 2030
Malaysia menyasarkan pengeluaran 40 peratus hasil sektor akuakultur menjelang 2030 dalam usaha membantu mengimbangi keperluan perikanan negara.
10 Berita Pilihan - (16 Julai 2024
Antara pelbagai berita dalam dan luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
PAC beri tempoh tiga bulan kepada HRD Corp
Jawatankuasa Kira-kira Wang Negara (PAC) memberi tempoh tiga bulan kepada Perbadanan Pembangunan Sumber Manusia (HRD Corp) untuk mengemukakan laporan tindakan susulan terhadap syor jawatankuasa itu.
Kylian Mbappe tandatangan kontrak dengan Real Madrid
Bintang bola sepak Perancis Kylian Mbappe menandatangani kontrak selama lima tahun dengan kelab Sepanyol Real Madrid pada Selasa.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah antara yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Ringgit susut berbanding dolar US pada penutup
Pada 6 petang, ringgit susut lagi kepada 4.6745/6790 berbanding dolar AS daripada 4.6725/6745 semasa ditutup semalam.
Penampilan pertama Trump di konvensyen GOP selepas terselamat cubaan bunuh
Donald Trump menghadiri Konvensyen Kebangsaan Republikan pada malam Isnin, penampilan umum pertamanya sejak terselamat daripada cubaan bunuh.
Trump umum Senator JD Vance sebagai calon Naib Presidennya
Bekas Presiden Amerika Syarikat Donald Trump mengumumkan Senator Ohio JD Vance akan menjadi calon Naib Presidennya dalam pilihan raya 2024.
Tiada tempat untuk keganasan politik dalam demokrasi AS - Obama
Kenyataan Obama mengundang kecaman warganet terutamanya istilah 'keganasan politik' yang dikatakan menunjukkan sisi hipokrasi Washington.
Mahkamah AS tolak pertuduhan tambahan dalam kes dokumen sulit Trump
Permohonan Trump untuk menolak pertuduhan berdasarkan pelantikan dan pembiayaan tidak sah 'Special Counsel' Jack Smith diluluskan.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah antara yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Sokongan belian asing dorong Bursa Malaysia ditutup tinggi
Bursa Malaysia ditutup tinggi pada hari dagangan pertama minggu ini berikutan sokongan belian asing yang berterusan, dalam keadaan prestasi pasaran serantau yang bercampur-campur.
Biden seru redakan retorik politik di AS selepas cubaan bunuh Trump
Sudah tiba masanya untuk meredakan retorik politik di Amerika Syarikat (AS), kata Presiden Joe Biden semasa ucapan mengenai cubaan membunuh bekas Presiden Donald Trump.
Bahan letupan ditemukan dalam kereta suspek penembak Trump - Laporan
Pihak berkuasa menemukan bahan letupan dalam kereta yang dipandu lelaki berusia 20 tahun yang didakwa cuba membunuh bekas Presiden Donald Trump semasa perhimpunan kempennya di Pennsylvania.