President Donald J. Trump marked Memorial Day on Monday by honoring fallen U.S. service members at Arlington National Cemetery. He delivered a solemn and patriotic address that praised the courage of American warriors and reminded the nation of its enduring debt to those who gave their lives for freedom.
Speaking alongside Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Trump addressed a crowd of Gold Star families, servicemembers, and supporters during the midday ceremony. His remarks, steeped in reverence and conviction, paid tribute to generations of American heroes.
“These warriors picked up the mantle of duty and service, knowing that to live for others meant always that they might die for others,” Trump said. “They asked nothing. They gave everything. And we owe them everything and much, much more.”
The president invoked powerful imagery of sacrifice from battles across American history, from Bunker Hill to Kandahar, and emphasized that the fallen gave their “last breaths to each and every one of us — that we might live safe and breathe free.”
“Our debt to them is eternal and it does not diminish with time,” he continued. “It only grows and grows and grows with each passing year.”
In a moment of personal reflection, Trump suggested that missing a second term in 2020 may have paved the way for a greater purpose, referencing America’s upcoming 250th anniversary in 2026, as well as the U.S.-hosted World Cup and Olympics.
“In some ways, I’m glad I missed that second term where it was, because I wouldn’t be your president,” Trump said. “Can you imagine? I missed that in four years, and now look what I have — I have everything. God did that.”
Although he did not mention President Biden by name, Trump criticized the state of the country under previous leadership.
“People pouring through our borders unchecked. People doing things that are indescribable and not for today to discuss,” he said. “But the republic is now doing so very well.”
Trump also highlighted three fallen servicemembers whose lives were recently commemorated: Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Elroy Harworth, Army Cpl. Ryan C. McGhee, and Navy Chief Petty Officer Shannon M. Kent. Each, Trump said, represented the highest ideals of American service.
Vice President Vance, a Marine Corps veteran, echoed Trump’s message of reverence and responsibility. “If you’re a citizen, be the very best citizen that you can be,” Vance said. “To them, we owe everything.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, also a veteran, added: “They have paid a debt we can never repay, and for that, we owe gratitude and remembrance.”
General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, closed the ceremony by reminding Americans of the example set by the fallen. “It’s in the lives of the fallen and their families that we’re left a standard to live by,” he said.
At Arlington, surrounded by rows of white headstones, Trump reaffirmed that “we will never ever forget our fallen heroes, and we will never forget our debt to you.”