By Ryan Morgan
Contributing Writer
In a speech at the Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia on Tuesday, President Donald Trump paid tribute to the men and women who have served America in uniform and praised the strength of the U.S. military.
“Generation after generation, America’s warriors have left behind the comforts of home and family to face violence, evil and death, so that our families could know joy, goodness and peace. We honor them so strongly,” Trump said in remarks to a crowd of commemoration attendees at the cemetery’s Memorial Amphitheater.
“Our heroes have lived through unthinkable nightmares so we could live the American dream.”
Throughout his remarks, Trump described the heroic actions of American service members throughout history, from the Civil War to World War II, the Vietnam War, and the Global War on Terror era.
During his speech, Trump also touted the recent rebrand of the Department of Defense to the Department of War.
“We don’t like being politically correct, so we’re not going to be politically correct anymore. From now on, when we fight a war, we only fight for one reason: to win. We fight to win,” the president said.
Toward the end of his address, he also touted the U.S. mission to strike Iranian nuclear facilities in June.
“The American Dream surges forward, and our magnificent destiny stands more splendid and glorious than ever before,” Trump said as he closed out his remarks.
Ahead of his Veterans Day address, Trump participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins joined the president in the Veterans Day ceremonial proceedings. Collins and Vance each took turns speaking ahead of Trump’s remarks.
“Every single person who put on the uniform of this nation deserves our gratitude on this day especially, but every day, and so from the vice president and the entire administration to our nation’s veterans, thank you for your service, thank you for your sacrifice, and thank you for making us proud every single day,” Vance, a Marine Corps veteran, said in his remarks.
Collins, a Navy Reserve and Air Force Reserve chaplain, said there have been lowered wait times and case backlogs at the Department of Veterans Affairs under his tenure.
“Veterans Day, unlike the others we celebrate, is about everyday people doing extraordinary things,” Collins said. “Veterans Day is about men and women who come from small towns, hamlets, villages, and big towns, and they make a decision in their life to raise their right hand and say, ‘I’m committing to something bigger than myself.’”
Nov. 11 also marks the 107th anniversary of the armistice that marked the end of fighting in World War I.
“More than one century following the end of World War I, we honor the valiant American service members whose victory sent a resounding message to the entire world: No tyranny can topple the strength of the American military, no nation can compete with the power of American industry, and no adversary can withstand the unwavering vigor of the American spirit,” Trump said in a presidential message recognizing the end of the war.
President Woodrow Wilson honored the first anniversary of the World War I armistice in 1919. The United States initially recognized Armistice Day on Nov. 11 as a day to honor the veterans of World War I. In 1954, following the events of World War II, the date was transformed into a holiday to honor all U.S. veterans.
In May, Trump proposed changing the name of Veterans Day to “Victory Day for World War I.”
Arjun Singh and Emel Akan contributed to this report.
