President Donald Trump delivered a controversial Veterans Day address at Arlington National Cemetery on Tuesday that blended traditional military tributes with numerous false claims and political attacks, turning the solemn occasion into what critics described as a rally-like speech.
Fact-Checking Presidential Claims
During his 21-minute remarks, Trump made several assertions that conflict with documented facts. The president claimed his administration had "taken in trillions of dollars in tariffs," though official data shows his trade policies have generated approximately $130 billion in new tariffs, all collected from American importers rather than foreign countries.
Trump also stated that "energy prices are way down," despite current evidence showing gasoline prices remain similar to last year's levels while electricity costs have increased significantly. The president further mischaracterized economic conditions by claiming, "We were going in the wrong direction for a period of time, but we've never been hotter than we are right now," despite rising inflation and unemployment concerns.
Controversial Military Announcements
Trump used the Veterans Day platform to announce several military-related changes, including his proclamation that Veterans Day would now also be known as Victory Day. "When I see other countries celebrating Victory Day, I watched it. I watched U.K., I watched Russia; they were celebrating Victory Day, World War II," Trump explained. "But from now on, we're going to be celebrating Victory Day for World War I, for World War II, and frankly, for everything else."
This declaration overlooks that the United States already observes two victory days commemorating the Allied defeats of Nazi Germany in May 1945 and imperial Japan three months later.
In another contentious statement, Trump claimed to have officially renamed the Department of Defense back to its original title, the Department of War. "Under the Trump administration, we're restoring the pride and the winning spirit of the United States military," he stated. "That's why we have officially renamed the Department of Defense back to the original name, Department of War."
This assertion is false, as Congress originally established the department as the Department of Defense after World War II, and only legislative action can change its official name.
Historical Context and Past Controversies
The Veterans Day appearance revived memories of Trump's previous military-related controversies. In 2018, the president notably skipped a visit to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in France during World War I commemorations, with White House officials initially claiming weather prevented the trip. The cemetery contains the graves of 1,800 U.S. Marines who died in the critical Battle of Belleau Wood.
Former White House chief of staff John Kelly, a retired Marine general, subsequently confirmed that Trump had referred to military service members as "suckers" and "losers" for their sacrifices. Trump himself avoided military service during the Vietnam War by obtaining a medical deferment for bone spurs.
During portions of the speech, Trump did honor military service members in more traditional Veterans Day fashion, thanking them for their sacrifices. However, these moments were interspersed with rambling, difficult-to-follow commentary that characterized much of his 21-minute appearance at the podium.
The president also took time to praise House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune for what he characterized as a "victory" over Democrats in the government shutdown negotiations, despite the bipartisan nature of the resolution.
