President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that Veterans Day will now also be recognized as “Victory Day for World War I,” highlighting the United States’ role in forcing Germany’s surrender on Nov. 11, 1918.
According to the New York Post, during a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, Trump declared, “Today is not only Veterans Day, but it’s my proclamation that we are now going to be saying and calling [it] Victory Day for World War I.”
“I saw France was celebrating ‘Victory Day,’ but we didn’t. And I saw France was celebrating another ‘victory day’ for World War II, and other countries were celebrating. They were all celebrated. We’re the one that won the wars.”
Trump first floated the idea in May on Truth Social, designating May 8 as Victory Day for World War II, but the official proclamation released Monday initially omitted the new designation.
“From now on, we’re going to say Victory Day for World War I and World War II. And we could do for plenty of other wars, but we’ll start with those two. Maybe someday somebody else will add a couple of more, because we won a lot of good ones,” he said.
“But when I see other countries celebrating Victory Day, I watched it. I watched UK. I watched Russia. They were celebrating Victory Day … and I said, ‘We got to have a Victory Day.’ Nobody even talked about it in our country.”
Trump made the announcement after laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, braving strong winds and frigid temperatures. He wore a scarf and gloves as gusts of about 16 miles per hour brought wind chills below freezing. He was joined by Vice President JD Vance, an Iraq War veteran, and Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins.
“Our heroes have lived through unthinkable nightmares so we could live the American dream — and the American dream is coming back again, stronger than ever before, and you’ll see that as the next few years evolve,” Trump said.
The remarks also touched on current events, including the government shutdown that has left 1.4 million federal workers unpaid and delayed food-stamp benefits for nearly 42 million Americans. “We’re opening up our country. Should have never been closed,” he said, recognizing a wounded soldier he had recently visited at Walter Reed military hospital.
The Arlington Cemetery, home to approximately 400,000 remains, sits across the Potomac from Washington on land once owned by Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s family. Trump has also suggested building a triumphal arch nearby to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
