President Trump participated in a Memorial Day wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday to honor fallen service members and their families, promising those gathered that Americans "will never forget our heroes."
The time-honored tradition at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier dates back 150 years, with all of Trump's modern predecessors participating in the annual ceremony. In remarks delivered from the hallowed grounds, Trump praised several veterans in the crowd and offered words of condolence to Gold Star families whose sons and daughters were killed overseas.
“Today, we pay tribute to their service, we mourn alongside their families and we strive to be worthy of their sacrifice,” the president told the crowd of about 5,000. “Theirs was a love more deep and more pure than most will ever know. It was a love that willed them up mountains, through deserts, across oceans, and into enemy camps. They marched into hell so that America could know the blessings of peace. They did so that freedom could live.”
During his remarks, Trump singled out a young man named Christian who approached him at last year’s Memorial Day ceremony and asked if he wanted to meet his father. The president said Christian then led him to a grave site.
“We paid our respects together. It was a moment I will always remember,” Trump said, turning to Christian who returned for the wreath-laying ceremony this year. “I want you to know that even though your father has left this world … your dad’s love, courage, and strength live on in you.”
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05.20.2024