Trump Lays Wreath at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier as Nation Marks Memorial Day
Donald Trump marked Memorial Day with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, taking part in one of the nation’s most recognizable acts of military remembrance.
The ceremony was part of the National Memorial Day Observance. Arlington National Cemetery says the annual observance includes a wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and a national ceremony inside Memorial Amphitheater, with veterans’ organizations and dignitaries taking part.
The Tomb has served since 1921 as the resting place for an unidentified American service member from World War I. Unknowns from later wars were added in 1958 and 1984, making the memorial a national site of mourning and reflection on military sacrifice.
Memorial Day’s history stretches back to the aftermath of the Civil War, when communities began decorating the graves of soldiers. A widely cited Charleston observance occurred on May 1, 1865, when formerly enslaved Black Americans and others honored Union soldiers who had died in a Confederate prison camp. The holiday was originally called Decoration Day. The Department of Veterans Affairs says it was formalized in 1868 through a Memorial Day order issued by Grand Army of the Republic Commander-in-Chief John A. Logan.
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The Library of Congress notes that the first national celebration took place on May 30, 1868, at Arlington National Cemetery, where both Union and Confederate soldiers were buried.
Today, Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday in May. Its purpose is distinct from Veterans Day. Memorial Day honors those who died while serving in the U.S. military; Veterans Day honors all who served.
The Arlington wreath-laying gives that distinction a national stage. For many Americans, the long weekend also marks the unofficial start of summer, but the ceremony at the Tomb keeps the day’s central meaning focused on remembrance, sacrifice and the military dead.
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