Coronavirus: Army plans West Point graduation ceremony amid pandemic

FILE PHOTO: About 1,000 cadets are being recalled to the United States Military Academy at West Point for the 2020 graduation ceremony June 13. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)

Credit: David Dee Delgado/Getty Images

Credit: David Dee Delgado/Getty Images

FILE PHOTO: About 1,000 cadets are being recalled to the United States Military Academy at West Point for the 2020 graduation ceremony June 13. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)

About 1,000 cadets are being recalled to the United States Military Academy at West Point for the 2020 graduation ceremony June 13.

Cadets have been away from campus since spring break started March 6, CBS News reported.

"After careful consideration of the steps the Army can take to mitigate risk, I made the decision to proceed with the West Point graduation," Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said Saturday, CNN reported. "We are fully committed to the health and safety of our Cadets and believe we can safely conduct the graduation ceremony and associated activities. Over the next couple of days, West Point leadership will communicate the plan. We are putting the appropriate measures in place to respond to the COVID-19 crisis and to protect our Force, Cadets and Families."

President Donald Trump is scheduled to give the commencement address.

"I'm doing it at West Point, which I look forward to," Trump said, CNN reported. "I did it last year at Air Force. I did it in Annapolis. I did it at the Coast Guard Academy and I'm doing it at West Point. And I assume ... they'll have (social) distancing. They'll have some big distance, so it'll look very different than it ever looked."

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