President Trump issued a Memorial Day proclamation that honors the “greatest fighting force the world has ever known.”
The Memorial Day 2026 statement, released last week, declares that the nation “endures in strength, power, and prosperity because of the awe-inspiring selflessness and valor of those in uniform willing to lay down their lives in its defense.”
“From the frozen fields of Valley Forge and the beaches of Normandy to the jungles of Vietnam and the mountains of Afghanistan, the sacrifice across our Armed Forces is the foundation upon which our Republic stands,” Trump said, adding, “All Americans inherit the glorious gift of liberty that has been purchased with the spilled blood of brave warriors and the tears and heartache of those they left behind. It is fitting and necessary for our Nation to pause for an annual reminder of the enduring and perilously high cost of freedom, but the immeasurable gravity of what has been sacrificed for the greater good deserves our eternal reverence and unwavering gratitude every day.”
The proclamation urged Americans to join in prayer for “lasting peace in this volatile world, for the protection of those in harm’s way, and for the grace of Almighty God to comfort all who grieve.”
The statement further added that a Congressional joint resolution calls for Memorial Day to be observed as a “day of prayer for permanent peace.”
Last year, President Trump paid tribute to American soldiers’ “immortal deeds.”
“We gather today to honor the incredible service members who rest in glory in this cemetery and burial grounds around the world and in a thousand lonely places known only to God,” he said. “In every hour of peril and every moment of crisis, American warriors have left behind the blessings of home and family to answer their nation’s call.”
