Trump marks Veterans Day, extolling the ‘muscle, spine and steel’ of U.S. military members

President Trump honored service members at Arlington National Cemetery on Veterans Day by laying a wreath to pay tribute to their sacrifices.

Mr. Trump said America would never have prospered without the “fierce and noble men and women” of the U.S. military.

“Every captain of industry, every pioneer of science and every star whose brilliance has lit up the lights of Broadway all share one thing in common. They only had the chance to soar because the veterans had the courage to serve,” he said. “The stars that you read about wouldn’t be here without our veterans. Everything we have, everything our country has achieved has been purchased by the muscle, spine and steel of the United States military.”

Veterans Day is observed annually on Nov. 11, the day World War I ended. Several other countries celebrate the day as Armistice Day. It became a federal holiday in 1938 and its name was changed from Armistice Day to Veterans Day in 1954.

Mr. Trump was flanked by Vice President J.D. Vance, a Marine Corps veteran who was deployed to Iraq, and Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins. Mr. Collins served both in the U.S. Navy Reserve and the U.S. Air Force Reserve and served in Iraq.

In his 25-minute remarks, Mr. Trump recalled famous battles and stories of courageous heroism by military service members during wars throughout U.S. history.

“America stands tall because America’s veterans stood so strong,” Mr. Trump said. “The American veteran has forged a legacy of gallantry and daring without parallel in human history.”

Mr. Trump also touted his administration’s efforts to take care of veterans once they leave the service. He said the backlog at Veterans Affairs has been cut by 50% since the Biden administration, adding that the level of claims processed has reached an all-time high of more than three million.

The president said Veterans Affairs has added more than 1 million extra service hours across its centers and opened 20 new facilities in 13 states.

He said that all of this was accomplished by firing thousands of people working in Veterans Affairs, who he described as incompetent.

“We fight to win, but under my leadership, we’re also fighting for the great veterans who have always, always been there for us, especially when we needed them and needed them the most,” Mr. Trump said.

Mr. Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have sought to restore what they call a “warrior ethos” to the military, urging soldiers to get more fit and adding more stringent grooming and shaving standards. They’ve argued the discipline is necessary to restore the military to its original goal of fighting battles and winning wars. 

In addition, Mr. Hegseth has announced that everyone in the military will have to pass a fitness test twice a year, including generals and admirals, a requirement that was not previously enforced. 

Mr. Trump and Mr. Hegseth have also vowed to bring back “meritocracy” to the military, which they say has been jeopardized by diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. 

The president has also somewhat shifted the role of the military, using it for domestic law enforcement purposes in cities across the country, including Los Angeles, Washington and Memphis.