Arlington National Cemetery ... Due to the current COVID-19 situation across the nation and within the NCR, it is with great regret that ANC is cancelling Wreaths Across America at ANC and the Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home Cemetery on Dec. 19, 2020....Terrible and absurd. @realDonaldTrump should intervene. https://t.co/ga8zVcmZLd— Tom Fitton (@TomFitton) November 17, 2020
Zero Trump tweets so far today— Jack Posobiec
Then, at the WH, Natl Sec Adv Robt O’Brien elaborated on troop reductions in Afghanistan & Iraq by Jan 15, saying the Pres hopes that by May, all would come home safely. Says Pres delivering on his promise to end US engagements in wars there. O’Brien took no questions. pic.twitter.com/bKPxxWmxh2— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) November 17, 2020
I have directed Arlington National Cemetery to safely host Wreaths Across America. We appreciate the families and visitors who take time to honor and remember those who are laid to rest at our nation’s most hallowed ground.— SecArmy (@SecArmy) November 17, 2020
Donald Trump Reverses Cancellation of ‘Wreaths Across America’ Event at Arlington Cemetery
EXCERPT...
President Donald Trump on Tuesday reversed a decision by the Arlington National Cemetery to cancel its annual Wreaths Across America event.
“I have reversed the ridiculous decision to cancel Wreaths Across America at Arlington National Cemetery,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “It will now go on!”
Earlier Tuesday, Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy also announced a reversal of the decision.
“We appreciate the families and visitors who take time to honor and remember those who are laid to rest at our nation’s most hallowed ground,” he wrote.
Arlington National Cemetery announced Monday a decision to cancel the annual event out of safety concerns surrounding coronavirus.
Karen Durham-Aguilera, the executive director of the Office of Army National Cemeteries and Arlington National Cemetery, said that the scale of the event would compromise their ability to lay veterans to rest in the cemetery.
“We understand that although this is disappointing for so many, we could no longer envision a way to safely accommodate the large number of visitors we typically host during this event,” she said in a statement.
Wreaths Across America protested the decision in a statement on Facebook.
“Like our U.S. Military, we will adjust and adapt, and work together towards fulfilling the mission which is to Remember, Honor and Teach,” they wrote.