President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance led a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery for Memorial Day services, where the president stayed mostly on script and used the event to tout the success of the military during Operation Epic Fury.
The Memorial Day remembrances at Arlington were headlined by Trump, Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. While not a fully MAGA-fied Trumpfest, the solemn ceremony had noticeable hints of the obsessive edge of MAGA patriotism. Hegseth’s remarks in particular carried strong Christian nationalist undertones.
But all eyes were on the president, whose White House events and campaign rallies have taken turns for the nonsensical to a more frequent degree in recent months as his administration battles sinking approval polls and the shadow of the Iran war that is now increasingly affecting the American economy. At some events, Trump has meandered from the topics at hand to arguably inappropriate asides, including one instance where he began describing carnage in Iran to a room full of young children and the White House press.
On Monday, there was little sign of that Trump. Instead, the president stayed largely on message as he spoke about honoring Gold Star families and fallen American soldiers.
“There could be no Independence Day without Memorial Day,” Trump said, recalling the first battle between American and British forces at Lexington Green as well as the sacrifices of U.S. forces during World War 2.
During his speech, he recognized individual members of the Armed Forces including Staff Sgt. Keith Ware, the descendent of the “Fighting General” Keith Ware who was honored for his actions in the Battle of the Bulge in World War II with the Medal of Honor and later went on to serve in Vietnam, where he died in combat.
The president also honored Harry Miller, a 97-year-old veteran who also fought in the Battle of the Bulge, and Sgt. First Class Matthew McClintock, who led a daring MedEvac rescue during the U.S. occupation of Afghanistan.
Not mentioned by name: the list of American service members who have died, numbering at least 13 so far, as a result of the president’s ongoing conflict with Iran.
“In Operation Epic Fury, we lost 13 wonderful souls, wonderful special people,” he said. “These incredible men and women gave their lives to ensure that the world’s number one state sponsor of terror will never have a nuclear weapon,”
In a somewhat restrained ad-lib, he then added: “Oh, and they won’t. They will never have a nuclear weapon.”
“In two wars recently, we’ve lost a total of 13 service members,” said the president. “In Venezuela, which was a complete and total victory … we took that over in one day, lost no one.”
He saved his threats towards Iran for Truth Social. With reports indicating that White House officials believe themselves extremely close to a peace agreement to end the months-long war with Iran, Trump warned on Monday that the fighting would be “bigger and stronger than before” as he urged Iran’s leaders to accept a deal and called on other Middle Eastern governments to join the Abraham Accords, an initiative aimed at normalizing relations between Israel and other countries in the region.
“Negotiations with the Islamic Republic of Iran are proceeding nicely! It will only be a Great Deal for all or, no Deal at all — Back to the Battlefront and shooting, but bigger and stronger than ever before — And nobody wants that!” Trump wrote.
But, he added, “if Iran signs its Agreement with me, as President of the United States of America, it would be an Honor to have them also be part of this unparalleled World Coalition. The Middle East would be United, Powerful, and Economically Strong, like perhaps no other area, anywhere in the World!”
