Trump honors fallen soldiers at Arlington, calling them ‘America’s best and bravest’

AP News ^ | Updated 12:19 PM CDT, May 26, 2025 | SEUNG MIN KIM

[E. Pluribus Unum]

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — President Donald Trump honored fallen service members during a Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, calling them “great, great warriors” who were “America’s best and bravest.”

“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.”

Trump’s speech veered briefly into the political, referring to the republic “that I am fixing after a long and hard four years.” He said that on this commemorative day, his fixes were not for today to discuss.

Prior to speaking, Trump placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a somber tradition for U.S. presidents. The president paused after placing the wreath, then stepped back and saluted during the playing of taps. Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth joined him.

Trump told the story of Senior Chief Petty officer Shannon Kent, killed along with three other Americans by a suicide bomber in 2019 in Syria, leaving behind her husband, 3-year-old son and 18-month old son.

She was on her fifth combat deployment, he said, embedded with a team hunting Islamic State group militants in Syria, serving as linguist, translator and cryptology technician working alongside special forces. “She was among the first women ever to do it, and she did it better than anyone,” he said.

The crowd also heard of Senior Master Sergeant Elroy Harworth, who went down in enemy territory during the Vietnam War, dying while his wife was seven months pregnant. His son followed his father’s path and has been in the Army for 20 years.

Vance said the lesson of these stories and all the gravestones is: “We must be...”

[A Navy Vet]

"President Donald Trump honored fallen service members during a Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday.

IIRC, it was either Biden or Obama who broke that wonderful tradition and didn't show.

[stanne]

Why doesn’t this preempt Jenna bush blathering on morning tv or the view?
Or Fox and friends of Trump haters?

I get texts from people my age thanking me for my service

Baby boomers don’t even know what Memorial Day is

[A Navy Vet]

"President Donald Trump honored fallen service members during a Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday.

IIRC, it was either Biden or Obama who broke that wonderful tradition and didn't show.

[xkaydet65]

Barky did it. He went back to Chicago to bbq burgers and fries, whether Biden subbed I don’t recall.

[DesertRhino]

A mother, sent off to a war zone, and one that we created by creating Isis to remove Assad. And then sending our own people there. You don’t hate DC enough. Wasted a mother…. for what?

[RWGinger]

I watched it all on Fox

This is a day to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice of their lives

Veterans Day is a day to remember those who served

[SunkenCiv]

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