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Liberty has been criticized because of university president Jerry Falwell Jr's endorsement of [[Donald Trump]] for President of the United States.<ref>Although Falwell Jr stated his endorsement was personal, because of his profile as Liberty's president -- and because other Liberty employees are forbidden by their employment contracts to speak on any political subject without prior approval of the university -- Falwell's endorsement is seen as a ''de facto'' endorsement by Liberty itself.</ref>  Not only has the criticism come from expected sources (liberals and the Republican Establishment [[Never Trump movement]]) but has also come from Christian groups,<ref>http://christiannews.net/2016/01/26/liberty-university-alumni-express-concerns-about-falwell-after-soul-selling-trump-endorsement/</ref> including several alumni who have taken the meaningless step of "mailing back their diplomas" to the university<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/21/us/jerry-falwell-liberty-university-trump.html</ref> (though none, of course, have gone so far as to request official decertification of their actual earned degrees).

Liberty has been criticized because of university president Jerry Falwell Jr's endorsement of [[Donald Trump]] for President of the United States.<ref>Although Falwell Jr stated his endorsement was personal, because of his profile as Liberty's president -- and because other Liberty employees are forbidden by their employment contracts to speak on any political subject without prior approval of the university -- Falwell's endorsement is seen as a ''de facto'' endorsement by Liberty itself.</ref>  Not only has the criticism come from expected sources (liberals and the Republican Establishment [[Never Trump movement]]) but has also come from Christian groups,<ref>http://christiannews.net/2016/01/26/liberty-university-alumni-express-concerns-about-falwell-after-soul-selling-trump-endorsement/</ref> including several alumni who have taken the meaningless step of "mailing back their diplomas" to the university<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/21/us/jerry-falwell-liberty-university-trump.html</ref> (though none, of course, have gone so far as to request official decertification of their actual earned degrees).

Liberty University was honored to host President Trump as a speaker at its 2017 commencement ceremony, his first commencement speech as President and his third time speaking at the university.<ref>Trump has spoken two other times at Liberty: in 2012 while a businessman, and again in 2016 as a Presidential candidate.</ref>  President Trump has twice been awarded honorary degrees from Liberty: an honorary doctorate of business in 2012 (after his first speech at Liberty) and an honorary doctorate of laws in 2017 (after his commencement speech).

Liberty University was honored to host President Trump as a speaker at its 2017 commencement ceremony, his first commencement speech as President and his third time speaking at the university.<ref>His other two speeches were in 2012 as a businessman and popular television personality, and again in 2016 as a Presidential candidate.</ref>  President Trump has twice been awarded honorary degrees from Liberty: an honorary doctorate of business in 2012 (after his first speech at Liberty) and an honorary doctorate of laws in 2017 (after his commencement speech).

===President Carter as 2018 Commencement Speaker===

===President Carter as 2018 Commencement Speaker===