President Trump marks Memorial Day with a speech at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday.
Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images
At Arlington National Cemetery today, President Trump laid a
wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and paid his respects to those
who gave their lives for the country.
"Our fallen heroes have
not only written our history, they have shaped our destiny," Trump said,
speaking at the cemetery's Memorial Ampitheater. "They inspired their
communities and uplifted their country and provided the best example of
courage, virtue and valor the world will ever know. They fought and bled
and died so that America would forever remain safe and strong and
free."
"They came from every generation — from towering cities and
windswept prairies, from privilege and from poverty," he said. "They
were generals and privates, captains and corporals of every race, color
and of every creed. But they were all brothers and sisters in arms. And
they were all united then, as they are united now, forever, by their
undying love of our great country."
Just a few hours earlier, the president had used the day's themes to congratulate himself.
"Happy Memorial Day! Those who died for our great country would be
very happy and proud at how well our country is doing today. Best
economy in decades, lowest unemployment numbers for Blacks and Hispanics
EVER (& women in 18years), rebuilding our Military and so much
more. Nice!" he tweeted.
The tweet struck some as self-serving on Memorial Day.
"This
is one of the most inappropriate, ignorant and tone-deaf things our
Commander-in-Chief could have said on a day like today," tweeted John Kirby, a State Department spokesman during the Obama administration.
Retired
Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
under Obama, seemed to chastise Trump in a tweet of his own.
"This day, of all days of the year, should not be about any one of us," he wrote.
"No matter how prestigious or powerful, no matter how successful we
perceive ourselves to be. Rather, this day should be about those who
gave their lives so that we could live ours in freedom."
Meanwhile, the president's family members focused on remembrance.
"On
#MemorialDay we honor the many Americans who laid down their lives for our great country," Melania Trump tweeted.
"As one nation under God, we come together to remember that freedom
isn't free. Thank you to all the service members & their families
who sacrifice so much to keep us safe."
"As we remember our
fallen servicemen and women, our hearts are filled with gratitude for
their sacrifice and awe of their courage," Ivanka Trump tweeted.
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