HYGO News Trump & The First Lady Participate in a National Veterans Day Observance
Trump and the First Lady Participate in National Veterans Day Observance
On November 11, 2020, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visited Arlington National Cemetery for the annual Veterans Day wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Vice President Mike Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence also attended. The ceremony took place in the rain, with Trump, wearing a blue tie, saluting and standing in silence before approaching the wreath and briefly touching it. The president also issued a proclamation recognizing Veterans Day and honoring service members for displaying “courage and fortitude in the face of adversity.”
The Arlington Ceremony
The ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery followed the traditional format for presidential Veterans Day observances. The military band played the National Anthem as the president and first lady arrived. Trump stood at attention in front of the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, saluting in the rain before stepping forward to place his hands on the wreath in a gesture of respect.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which has been continuously guarded by the U.S. Army since 1937, contains the remains of unidentified American service members from World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. The annual Veterans Day wreath-laying ceremony at the tomb is one of the most solemn presidential duties.
The observance came just eight days after the November 3 presidential election, during a period of contested results and heightened political tension. It was notably Trump’s first public appearance at a formal event since election night, and the solemnity of the Veterans Day tradition stood in contrast to the political turmoil surrounding the post-election period. The president had largely remained out of public view since the election, making the Arlington visit a significant moment of presidential continuity.
Arlington National Cemetery, established during the Civil War, serves as the final resting place for more than 400,000 active duty service members, veterans, and their families. The cemetery’s 639 acres in Arlington, Virginia, directly across the Potomac River from Washington, DC, have been the site of presidential Veterans Day and Memorial Day observances for generations.
The Presidential Proclamation
Trump issued a formal Veterans Day proclamation that both honored military service and highlighted his administration’s legislative achievements on behalf of veterans. The proclamation opened with broad recognition: “America’s veterans have fought to defend our country, its values, and its interests since the first days of our founding. They have defeated tyrants, eliminated terrorists, and secured freedom at home and abroad.”
The proclamation acknowledged the full spectrum of sacrifice. “Many sustained life-altering physical injuries and disabilities; others bear the burden of emotional scars for the remainder of their lives,” Trump wrote. “Our Nation’s veterans fully understand liberty’s high and precious cost, for they have paid it every day since the formation of our Republic.”
Legislative Achievements Cited
A substantial portion of the proclamation outlined specific legislative and administrative actions Trump’s administration had taken on behalf of veterans.
Trump cited the overhaul of the Department of Veterans Affairs, including “removing employees who were not giving our veterans the care and attention they deserve and making the agency more accountable to the heroes it serves.”
He highlighted the VA MISSION Act, which gave eligible veterans the choice to receive timely care from providers in their own communities rather than traveling to VA facilities. He also noted signing “the largest funding bill in the history of the VA” in 2018, with record budgets continuing in subsequent years.
On education, Trump mentioned a Presidential Memorandum ensuring that totally and permanently disabled veterans received federal student loan forgiveness to which they were entitled.
Veteran Suicide Prevention
The proclamation addressed the crisis of veteran suicide with specific policy responses. Trump noted that “an average of 20 veterans and service members die by suicide each day” and called the situation “alarming and unacceptable.”
He highlighted two major initiatives. The first was PREVENTS — the President’s Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End a National Tragedy of Suicide — which he described as “the largest whole-of-government program in history to end veteran suicide.” The second was the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act, which he said was “strengthening VA mental health, supporting suicide prevention efforts, and developing pilot programs dedicated to ending veteran suicide.”
Trump also noted bolstering the Veterans Crisis Line “so that its around-the-clock operators can deliver the best possible intervention services to vulnerable veterans.”
The Formal Proclamation
The official proclamation declared November 11, 2020, as Veterans Day and called on Americans to recognize veterans “through public ceremonies and private thoughts and prayers.” It urged federal, state, and local officials to display the flag and participate in patriotic activities, and called on civic organizations, places of worship, schools, and communities to support commemorative programs.
The proclamation was signed on November 10, 2020, described as “the two hundred and forty-fifth” year of the independence of the United States.
Key Takeaways
- Trump and the First Lady visited Arlington National Cemetery for a rainy Veterans Day wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, joined by Vice President Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence.
- The accompanying proclamation cited specific legislative achievements including the VA MISSION Act, record VA budgets, student loan forgiveness for disabled veterans, and the PREVENTS initiative addressing the crisis of 20 daily veteran suicides.
- The observance took place just eight days after the contested November 3 election, representing one of the traditional presidential duties carried out during the transition period.