Trump slams "politically correct" politics in Veterans Day speech
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President Trump, alongside Vice President JD Vance, salutes before speaking during a Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia on Nov. 11. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
President Trump lashed out at the Biden administration and political correctness while commemorating U.S. veterans on Tuesday.
The big picture: On the first Veterans Day of his second term, the president used his Arlington National Cemetery speech to tout his policies and highlight American military strength.
- "We don't like being politically correct, so we're not going to be politically correct anymore," Trump said during his remarks. "From now on when we fight a war, we only fight for one reason: to win."
Driving the news: The president reaffirmed his commitment to renaming Veterans Day to "Victory Day for World War I."
- "Under the Trump administration, we are restoring the pride and the winning spirit of the United States military," he said. "That's why we have officially renamed the Department of Defense back to the original name, Department of War."
- Trump, who often deviates from presidential norms with overtly partisan holiday messaging, also waded into politics during his Memorial Day speech while visiting the hallowed ground.
State of play: America's military might is currently directed toward a campaign in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific against alleged "narco-terrorists" that has sparked bipartisan questions about the legal justification behind the strikes.
- On Tuesday, the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group entered the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility to support the mission, which has killed 76 people since September. It adds to the naval buildup already in the region, escalating speculation of an expanding campaign.
The latest: The president's speech also comes after the Senate passed a bipartisan package that marks a major step toward ending the government shutdown; though some House Democrats, including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, vowed to fight the deal.
- Under the lapse, the White House found a workaround (on questionable legal grounds) to pay U.S. troops.
- "We're opening up our country," Trump said on Tuesday to cheers and applause. "It should have never been closed."
Catch up quick: The president and his Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have touted a reshaped, MAGA-aligned military and "Department of War."
- Under their watch, there have been a number of high-profile ousters and departures of top officials, wiping away decades of experience.
Zoom in: The president on Tuesday also participated in the traditional wreath-laying ceremony.
Scroll for photos of the ceremony and speech:
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