Editor’s Note: Speaking at the Arlington National Cemetery Memorial Day ceremony, Donald Trump opens his address by expressing gratitude to Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and the gathered military leadership. He establishes a solemn tone by noting that the nation has gathered to honor the incredible service members who “rest in glory” across the world. He emphasizes that these American warriors selflessly left behind their homes and families to answer the nation’s call, giving their last breaths so that others could live safely and breathe free. (May 25, 2026)
TRANSCRIPT:
Opening Remarks and Acknowledgments
TRUMP: Thank you very much. Very special place and a very special day. Thank you to Vice President Vance, doing a terrific job. Thanks also to a man who has devoted his life to service members and veterans, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who’s doing really well. He went through a lot, didn’t he?
But he’s doing really well. He’s a tough cookie. That’s what we want. He’s a tough cookie. And we’re grateful to be joined as well by Chairman Caine, terrific military person.
Members of the Cabinet, members of Congress, members of the United States Armed Forces, veterans, and many other distinguished guests.
Honoring the Fallen
We gather today to honor the incredible service members who rest in glory in this cemetery and burial grounds around the world and in 1,000 lonely places known only to God. 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. They’ve offered all that they had within them and given their last breaths to each and every one of us that we might live safe and breathe free.
This morning, we pay tribute to their immortal deeds. We share in the sorrow of their beloved families. And as one nation, we give thanks for the ultimate gift they have so selflessly given to all of us.
These warriors, and that’s what they are, as great, great warriors, picked up their mantle of duty and service, knowing that to live for others meant always that they might die for others. They knew that. They asked nothing for it. They gave everything. And we owe them everything and much, much more.
Each of the servicemembers who have made the supreme sacrifice for our nation has also left an unfillable void and an unbreakable silence in the lives of all who love them. For the families of the fallen, you feel the absence of your heroes every day in the family. These are great families. These are wonderful families.
In the familiar laugh no longer heard, the empty space at Sunday dinner, or the want of a hug or a pat on the back that will never come again. Every Gold Star family fights a battle long after the victory is won. And today, we lift you up and we hold you high. Thank you, thank you, thank you for giving America the brightest light in your lives. It’s what you’ve done.
We will never, ever forget our fallen heroes, and we will never forget our debt to you.
250 Years of American Sacrifice
This Memorial Day is especially significant as we commemorate 250 years since the first American patriots fell on the field of battle. Two and a half centuries ago, at Lexington Green, Concord Bridge, Bunker Hill, brave minutemen and humble farm boys became the first to give their lives for a nation that did not yet have a name.
With their deaths, men like John Brown, 23, Samuel Hadley, 28, and Abner Hosmer, 21, ignited the flame of liberty that now lights and inspires everybody and the entire world. Those young men could never have known what their sacrifice would mean to us, but we certainly know what we owe to them.
Their valor gave us the freest, greatest, and most noble republic ever to exist on the face of the Earth — a republic that I am fixing after a long and hard four years. That was a hard four years we went through. Who would let that happen? People pouring through our borders unchecked. People doing things that are indescribable and not for today to discuss.
But the republic that is now doing so very well — we’re doing so very well right now. Considering the circumstances, and we’ll do record-setting better with time, we will do better than we’ve ever done as a nation, better than ever before. I promise you that.
In every generation since, at Trenton and Yorktown, at Vicksburg and Shiloh, and in faraway places with names like Chateau-Thierry, Anzio, Iwo Jima, Quezon, Kandahar — really, just a few chosen names. And these are names that have become so important on the altar of freedom.
They plunged into the crucible of battle, stormed into the fires of hell, charged into the valley of death, and rose into the arms of angels. The sacrifice that they made was not merely for a single battle, a long-ago victory, or a fleeting triumph decades or centuries past. Their sacrifice was for today, tomorrow, and every morning thereafter.
Every child that lives in peace, every home that is filled with joy and love, every day the republic stands is only possible because of those who did what had to be done when duty called. And the cost was everything to them and to their families. Our debt to them is eternal, and it does not diminish with time. It only grows and grows and grows with each passing year.
The greatest monument to their courage is not carved in marble or cast in bronze. It’s all around us, an American nation, 325 million strong, which will soon be greater than it has ever been before. It will be.
The Story of Senior Master Sergeant Elroy Harworth
And so, today, we uphold the memory of our heroes as people have done since ancient times by telling their stories and exalting their names.
Senior Master Sergeant Elroy Harworth was a young, beautiful man from Earhart, Minnesota, when he enlisted in the Air Force and was sent to Vietnam.
Fifty-nine years ago this very week, Elroy and his crewmates climbed into the dark skies over Da Nang on a classified mission known as Operation Carolina Moon. Their aim was to blow up a key enemy bridge. And while other crews had tried and failed, they were determined to try and get it done in the face of extreme danger, and they knew how bad it was.
As their C-130 closed in on its target and Elroy jockeyed his 5,000 pounds of explosives into position, the aircraft came under unbelievably intense fire. They had never seen anything like it. Try as they might, they were hit as the plane swung low and they went down deep in enemy territory.
Elroy was just 24 years old when he gave his life for America, leaving behind a beautiful young wife who was seven months pregnant. That meant Elroy would never know the joy of meeting his son Troy or seeing him grow, and he would never have the pride to watch his son follow in his father’s footsteps and serve two decades in the U.S. Army.
Sergeant First Class Troy Harworth is with us today, joined by his wife, Sonia, and their son, John. The grandson Elroy never got to hold. Thank you, Troy. And thank you, John. And above all, thank you, Elroy. Thank you very much. Please stand up. Thank you. Wherever you may be. Thank you very much. Great family.
The Story of Corporal Ryan McGee
Corporal Ryan McGee of Fredericksburg, Virginia, knew from the time he saw the towers fall on 9/11 that he wanted to be an Army Ranger. He was an American guy, all American. He was a tough guy. He was at the top of everything. In high school, he was captain of the football team and was voted friendliest and most charming by his peers.
Ryan joined the Army soon after graduation, and after three tours in Afghanistan, he deployed to Iraq. He and his unit were tasked with hunting down a weapon facilitator and a suicide bomber cell near Baghdad, a vicious, vicious cell, killing many, many people.
Sixteen years ago this month, they engaged the enemy in a firefight, and Ryan was mortally wounded. He gave his life at 21 years old, and today he rests until the end of time in the famed Section 60 here at Arlington, where we have buried our honored dead from the war on terror.
We are joined today by Ryan’s mom, Sherrie. And, Sherrie, all of America shares in your grief, and more importantly, we share in your pride and your wonderful son. And thank you so much for being here, Sherrie. Please, Sherrie . Thank you, Sherrie. Thank you very much, on behalf of everyone. This crowd is so big, she’s hard to find. Once I saw her, she really stands out. Thank you, Sherrie, very much.
The Story of Senior Chief Petty Officer Shannon Kent
Senior Chief Petty Officer Shannon Kent grew up in Pine Plains, New York, before enlisting in the Navy in 2003. And she quickly became one of the rising stars. She was an absolute winner.
As a linguist, translator, and cryptologic technician, Shannon worked alongside elite special force units like Delta Force and Navy SEALs to help them capture and kill terrorists. She was among the first women ever to do it, and she did it better than anyone.
In January 2019, Shannon was on her fifth combat deployment, embedded with a team hunting ISIS terrorists through the streets of Syria when a suicide bomber detonated his weapon, killing Senior Chief Kent and three other wonderful, beautiful Americans. She left behind her husband, Joe, and their two sons, 3-year-old Colt and 18-month-old baby Josh.
Today, Shannon rests in peace on these grounds alongside her comrades. To her boys, Colt and Josh, who are here this morning, now age 9 and 7, let me say your mom was a hero. And her love, her strength, and her spirit are always with us and will always be with you. She loved her boys.
To Joe, the boys, Shannon’s parents, Mary and Steven, and her sister, Mariah, Shannon’s name will live forever in the chronicles of true American patriots. I just want to thank you and thank you so much for being here in honor of your magnificent family member.
Stories like Shannon’s, Ryan’s, and Elroy’s remind us of the real meaning of the day. And I want to just say, please stand up wherever you may be. The boys — I want to see those boys. Where are you? Thank you very much for being here. All of you, thank you so much.
The True Cost of Freedom
We should never forget, even for a moment, that freedom is a gift of the highest cost, and peace is won at the most precious price. These extraordinary American heroes and their immense and ultimate sacrifices offer only the faintest glimpse at the infinite grace we have received from all who laid down their lives for America over the past 250 years.
We’re going to have a big, big celebration, as you know. Two hundred and fifty years. In some ways, I’m glad I missed that second term where it was because I wouldn’t be your President for that most important of all. In addition, we have the World Cup and we have the Olympics. Can you imagine?
I missed that four years. And now look what I have. I have everything. Amazing the way things work out. God did that. I believe that, too. God did it.
You know, I got the World Cup and I got the Olympics. The 250 years was not mine. I’d like to take credit for it. But I got the Olympics. I got the World Cup when I was President. And I said, “Boy, it’s too bad. I won’t be President then.” And look what happened. I turned out, and we’re going to have a great time. We’re going to have a great celebration.
But most important of all is the 250th anniversary. That blows everything away, including the World Cup and including the Olympics, as far as I’m concerned.
Closing Remarks
In any corner of this cemetery, at any resting place for our war dead, anywhere on Earth, you’ll find untold stories of equal heroism and heartbreak, unmatched patriotism and devotion, and acts of selflessness and courage so enormous, they defy comprehension. Most people can’t even imagine it.
Great poets have written that it’s love which moves the sun and the stars. But here, on the sacred soil, right where we are, we’re reminded that it’s love which moves the course of history and moves it always toward freedom. Always.
From Bunker Hill to Bastogne to Cantonese to Coral Sea, from Gettysburg to Guadalcanal, and Concord to Kabul. America’s best and America’s bravest have fought, bled, and died so that we could pick up the torch of liberty, raise it high, high, high, and carry it onward to places they could never have dreamed of before.
Today, we honor their memory. We remember their gallantry. We just revere — in the highest sense, we just revere their incredible legacy. We salute them in their eternal and everlasting glory, and we continue our relentless pursuit of America’s destiny as we make our nation stronger, prouder, freer, and greater than ever before.
May God bless our fallen heroes. May God bless our Gold Star families, and may God bless the United States of America. Thank you very much, everybody. Great honor. Thank you.
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