Published on
27/05/2025 – 0:55 GMT+2
A memorial used to be held in Arlington, Virginia on Memorial Day to honour fallen US troops and commemorate their sacrifice. The rite used to be attended by way of US President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The rite used to be held at Arlington National Cemetery, the place greater than 400,000 other folks, lots of them squaddies, were laid to leisure.
Trump positioned a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a sombre custom for US presidents. The president paused after striking the wreath, then stepped again prior to being joined by way of Vance and Hegseth in a salute.
The US president then delivered an cope with the place he known as US troops “great, great warriors”, and singled out a number of households and family of past due squaddies to inform their tales.
“We just revere their incredible legacy,” Trump said. “We salute them in their eternal and everlasting glory. And we continue our relentless pursuit of America’s destiny as we make our nation stronger, prouder, freer and greater than ever before.”
“Their valour,” he said, “gave us the freest, greatest and most noble republic ever to exist on the face of the earth. A republic that I am fixing after a long and hard four years.”
He informed the tale of Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Shannon Kent, killed together with 3 different Americans by way of a suicide bomber in 2019 in Syria, leaving at the back of her husband, 3-year-old son and 18-month-old son.
The New York local used to be on her 5th deployment, embedded with a crew the place she served as a linguist, translator and cryptologic technician running along particular forces in a venture focused at removing Islamic State team militants.
“She was among the first women ever to do it, and she did it better than anyone,” Trump stated, calling out Kent’s circle of relatives for applause on the rite.
It didn’t take lengthy for the cope with to veer into politics as Trump took the chance to criticise his predecessor Joe Biden, including that his time period as president used to be one full of mistakes and screw ups, which his management is operating on solving.
“A republic that I am fixing after a long and hard four years. That was a hard four years we went through,” stated the USA president. “People pouring through our borders unchecked. People doing things that are indescribable and not for today to discuss,” he added.
Though the vacation is one who US presidents typically deal with with natural solemnity, Trump started the day with a fiery all-caps social media submit on his social media platform, Truth Social, aimed toward Biden.
“SCUM THAT SPENT THE LAST FOUR YEARS TRYING TO DESTROY OUR COUNTRY.”
Meanwhile, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola also attended the ceremony. In a post on X, Metsola also paid her respects to fallen US soldiers, acknowledging their sacrifice for Europe and expressing her gratitude.
“On Memorial Day, we honour the courage of all the fallen heroes whose sacrifice meant peace and freedom in Europe,” said Metsola “Europe is forever grateful. We remember them. We honour them.”
Additional assets • AP
