First Lady Melania Trump warns artificial intelligence will transform modern warfare more than nuclear weapons during Marine Corps visit with Second Lady Usha Vance.<\/b>
\nIn her first joint visit with Second Lady Usha Vance, First Lady Melania Trump met with troops and military families, praising the Marine Corps’ 250 years of service while warning that artificial intelligence (AI) will redefine modern warfare and America\u2019s defense.
In her Wednesday remarks at Marine Corps Air Station New River, Mrs. Trump emphasized AI’s role in her husband’s administration as a pillar of American defense strategy.
\u00ab\u00a0Technology is changing the art of war\u00a0\u00bb, Trump said. \u00ab\u00a0Predictably, AI will alter war more profoundly than any technology since nuclear weapons.\u00a0\u00bb
The First Lady’s remarks come as the Trump administration expands its focus on AI. The president posted to Truth Social earlier this week, saying, \u00ab\u00a0We MUST have one Federal Standard instead of a patchwork of 50 State Regulatory Regimes.\u00a0\u00bb
President Trump’s AI push aligns with his broader \u00ab\u00a0Winning the AI Race: America\u2019s AI Action Plan\u00a0\u00bb, published in July.
The First Lady acknowledged the service and 250-year legacy of the Marine Corps, including two Marines she welcomed on stage, Sergeant Blake Donoher and Corporal Daishamari Cannon.
Trump said that the \u00ab\u00a0most significant change will be speed\u00a0\u00bb when it comes to AI, adding that \u00ab\u00a0artificial intelligence will take center stage in the theater of war. but of course, it is the Marine who will always play the most critical role in realizing mission success.\u00a0\u00bb
The First Lady noted that AI is taking America’s military \u00ab\u00a0from soldiers to machines.\u00a0\u00bb
\u00ab\u00a0Artificial intelligence is propelling America\u2019s military into a new era\u00a0\u00bb, Trump said. \u00ab\u00a0We are moving from human operators to human overseers \u2013 fast. The shift from soldiers to machines is already underway: autonomous helicopters, swarming drones, and recon aircraft are here now. Fighter-less jets and autonomous bombers are on the way.\u00a0\u00bb
The First Lady was introduced by Second Lady and Marine Corps spouse Usha Vance, who greeted the Marines by relaying a \u00ab\u00a0Happy birthday\u00a0\u00bb message from Vice President JD Vance. The Marine Corps birthday is Nov. 10.
The event coincided with national Thanksgiving preparations, where both the First and Second Lady visited classrooms at Camp Lejeune.
Students showcased AI projects as part of the Presidential Artificial Intelligence Challenge during the visit. Trump hugged a shy student in a sweet moment caught on camera in a first-grade class where kids read aloud and joined in a lively game of \u00ab\u00a0Heads Up\u00a0\u00bb, wearing a matching notecard on her head.
\u00ab\u00a0Don’t be shy\u00a0\u00bb, the First Lady said before embracing the boy who seemed nervous to meet her.
The First Lady concluded her remarks with heartfelt thanks to service members and their families.
\u00ab\u00a0To every Service Member \u2014 thank you for standing watch so others can celebrate in peace. And to every military spouse and child \u2014 thank you for your strength and love\u00a0\u00bb, Trump said. \u00ab\u00a0You serve our country, too.\u00a0\u00bb
\u00ab\u00a0As we give thanks this season, let us remember what unites us \u2014 our shared love of country, our faith in one another, and our pride in those who serve\u00a0\u00bb, Trump concluded.<\/p>\n