Trump celebrates Veterans Day, proclaims day may also now be often called ‘Victory Day for World Conflict I’ in Arlington speech

OAN Employees Brooke Mallory4:10 PM – Tuesday, November 11, 2025

President Donald Trump introduced on Tuesday that Veterans Day will now even be often called “Victory Day for World Conflict I” — citing America’s function within the Allied victory over Germany in 1918 — whereas calling for renewed nationwide delight in U.S. army triumphs.

Talking throughout a Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington Nationwide Cemetery, Trump advised the viewers that the brand new designation is supposed to honor victories achieved by American forces in each world wars.

“In the present day isn’t solely Veterans Day, however it’s my proclamation that we at the moment are going to be saying and calling [it] Victory Day for World Conflict I,” Trump stated in a speech at Arlington Nationwide Cemetery. “I noticed France was celebrating ‘Victory Day’, however we didn’t. And I noticed France was celebrating one other ‘victory day’ for World Conflict II, and different international locations have been celebrating. They have been all celebrated [but] we’re the one which gained the wars.”

“Any more, we’re going to say Victory Day for World Conflict I and World Conflict II. And we may do for loads of different wars, however we’ll begin with these two. Perhaps sometime any individual else will add a few extra, as a result of we gained lots of good ones,” Trump continued.

The president made the announcement after laying a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

“The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is Arlington Nationwide Cemetery’s most iconic memorial. The neoclassical, white marble sarcophagus stands atop a hill overlooking Washington, D.C. Since 1921, it has offered a remaining resting place for certainly one of America’s unidentified World Conflict I service members, and Unknowns from later wars have been added in 1958 and 1984. The Tomb has additionally served as a spot of mourning and a website for reflection on army service,” the cemetery’s web site states.

In the meantime, the Veteran’s Day announcement got here as Trump continues to emphasise U.S. patriotism and army energy in his second time period, framing the day as each a tribute to veterans and a celebration of American world management.

Nonetheless, whereas Trump can situation a presidential proclamation, formally altering the vacation’s identify would nonetheless require congressional approval.

Along with Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins, Vice President JD Vance delivered remarks of his personal in the course of the ceremony as nicely, paying tribute to the brave women and men who stepped ahead to serve their nation.

Veterans Day has been noticed on November eleventh since 1954, evolving from “Armistice Day,” which commemorated the tip of World Conflict I on November 11, 1918. The vacation was expanded to honor all American veterans following World Conflict II and the Korean Conflict.

Earlier this 12 months, President Trump first proposed renaming the vacation, arguing that america ought to comply with the lead of nations like France, Russia, and the UK, which have a good time “Victory Days” to honor their wartime triumphs. Because the world’s strongest army drive, he steered that it’s peculiar america doesn’t extra overtly have a good time that dominance the best way others do.

Quickly after, the proposal instantly drew a blended response from veterans’ organizations and historians.

Conservative and Trump-supporting vets praised the announcement’s emphasis on victory and American patriotism, whereas different extra “progressive” vets argued that the change would shift consideration away from honoring all veterans — together with those that served in non-combat or much less celebrated conflicts.