Addressing the Liberty University Class of 2017, President Trump spoke with the optimism of Ronald Reagan while discussing the adversity that lay ahead for the new graduates and advised them to “never give up!”

From The Daily Caller

President Donald Trump received a standing ovation for his commencement address at Liberty University on Saturday after he told graduates, “as long as you…have faith in your God, then you will not fail.”

The President began his speech by blasting “pathetic” critics, hinting at his own ascent the presidency, and went on to talk about his executive order on religious freedom before giving graduates a strong piece of advice: “never, ever give up.”

“As long as I am your president, no one is ever going to stop you from practicing your faith or from preaching what is in your heart.”

Perhaps the most inspiring part of President Trump’s speech was the last several minutes, which ultimately led the large crowd of 18,000 graduates to give him a standing ovation.

“As long as you have pride in your beliefs, courage in your convictions, and faith in your God, then you will not fail,” he said to applause. “And as long as America remains true to its values, loyal to its citizens, and devoted to its creators, then our best days are yet to come. I can promise you that.”

“This has been an exceptional morning. It’s been a great honor for me…May God bless the Class of 2017, may God bless the United States of America, and may God bless all of you here today,” he finished.

Trump previously spoke at the Christian university during the Republican presidential primary race.