Trump Lays Wreath at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier for Memorial Day

President Donald Trump laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday as part of the annual Memorial Day commemoration. He was joined by Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. The ceremony took place at the Memorial Amphitheater, where Trump stepped forward alone to place the wreath at the site that holds the remains of unidentified American service members from World War I, World War II, and the Korean War.

During the event, Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine said Memorial Day was “not a single date on a calendar” for Gold Star families but “literally every single day.” The chaplain, Lt Col Kevin Trimble, opened with a prayer honoring troops killed from the Civil War to recent conflicts in the Middle East, noting that fallen soldiers had served as “the shield of our nation” and praying for military families who “still feel the ache of absence.” He added, “Liberty is never free. It is fought and paid for, in courage, in service and in love.”

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth paid tribute to what he called America’s “fallen warriors,” including the 13 service members killed in Operation Epic Fury. “May we...