President Donald Trump along with Vice President J.D. Vance have been highly visible in recent weeks at graduation ceremonies and other events, highlighting our United States military services. These included a parade in Washington, D.C. on June 14 in recognition of the anniversary of the creation of the United States Army.

Coincidentally, or perhaps not so coincidentally, the Army ceremony took place on President Trump’s 79th birthday.

The president is criticized, rightly in this writer’s view, for combining personal business with the obligations of his high public office. For example, the recent brief but dramatic trip to the Middle East involved contacts and meetings clearly designed to benefit Trump’s private commercial concerns, especially in real estate.

Not coincidental is the fact that Trump also delivered the commencement address at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the elite education center for the Army’s top career uniformed leaders, while Vance was featured as the commencement speaker at the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis.

Additionally, Trump recently delivered the commencement address at the University of Alabama. The southern region of the United States traditionally is notably pro-military and an important source of service members, especially for the Army.

The South, historically politically solidly with the Democratic Party, has moved strongly into the Republican Party camp in elections starting in the 1960s. Richard Nixon rightly is credited with fostering this long-term development, starting during his years as vice president and thereafter.

Vance served in the U.S. Marine Corps, formally part of the Navy but also possessing a proud and well-deserved reputation as a distinctive arm with a very distinctive culture. He served for four years in the enlisted ranks. That included six months in Iraq as a military journalist. He left the Corps in 2007 to attend Ohio State University.

These military appearances by our top civilian government officials are providing a backdrop for the highly controversial decision by Trump to federalize the California National Guard to aid in riot control in Los Angeles.

Further, a force of 200 United States Marines has now been sent to that city/ They are actively engaged in detaining civilians.

California Governor Gavin Newsom and other state and local officials strongly oppose Trump’s actions. They are now battling with the administration in court. Newsom is a potential Democratic Party presidential nominee in 2028.

Democrats, partisan media and other critics of Trump are raising the spectre of diversion of our military from their proper constitutional roles, and even possible military dictatorship. That is an exaggeration, at least for the moment.

Civil-military relations are challenging by definition, but in the United States, civilian control, within the law, is firmly established. In the past, there have been insubordinate military commanders, notably Army Generals George McClellan and Douglas MacArthur, who respectively challenged the authority of Presidents Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War and Harry Truman during the Korean War.

In each case, the president fired the general, and our military respected the decision.

Trump in reality still remains more partial to talk than action. Bombast aside, he has generally remained within the system, including abiding by contrary court rulings.

He has been consistent in seeking to reduce overall the extensive American military engagements globally. This is a factor in his notable support among military personnel and veterans.

There is no evidence our military at any level would follow illegal orders. Further emphasizing the positive, Vance’s address at Annapolis, which discusses the limits on U.S. power, merits review and reflection.

Arthur I. Cyr is author of “After the Cold War.” Contact acyr@carthage.edu.