Tuscaloosa, Ala — In what increasingly feels like a mutual audition between red states and Donald J. Trump, the president has announced plans to deliver a commencement address at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa this May. While still unconfirmed by the university, Trump’s post on Truth Social indicates he’ll be speaking to a sea of graduates and family members beneath the vaulted ceilings of Coleman Coliseum. If the plan holds, it will mark the first time a former or sitting U.S. president has headlined a UA commencement.
In some ways, it’s a natural fit. Alabama has long been one of Trump’s most reliable political strongholds—he carried the state with 62% of the vote in 2016 and widened that margin to nearly 63% in 2020. Tuscaloosa County itself went red by a comfortable 19-point margin. And among white Alabamians without a college degree, Trump has approval ratings that rival college football.
For Trump, Alabama offers a dependable dose of reverence, performance, and power—a symbolic blend of pageantry and populism that aligns neatly with his political brand. The state regularly ranks near the top in gun ownership, evangelical affiliation, and anti-Biden sentiment, and near the bottom in voter turnout and health outcomes—statistics that, depending on one’s politics, could be viewed as either causes for concern or badges of cultural resilience.
The choice of a college commencement is perhaps more revealing. In a political era shaped by battles over education, critical race theory, and campus speech, Trump’s presence at one of the South’s flagship public universities sends a message—not just to the students who’ll cheer (or walk out), but to the nation at large. He’s still a showman. Still a disruptor. And still seeking to make headlines in places where his brand of politics remains gospel.
University officials have yet to confirm the appearance, which is currently set for one of several ceremonies between May 2 and 4. But if it proceeds as announced, the event will almost certainly draw a mix of fervor and fatigue. Protest is likely. So is praise. And for those watching from afar, it will offer one more reminder that the Trump-Alabama courtship is as intact as ever.
For now, the message is clear: Trump may be courting the nation, but Alabama is already wearing the ring.