President Donald Trump marked Veterans Day 2025 with a powerful address at Arlington National Cemetery, proclaiming the observance as “Victory Day” to honor America’s decisive role in both World War I and World War II. Speaking before rows of veterans, Gold Star families, and military leaders, the President called for the nation to more explicitly recognize the victories secured through American courage and sacrifice.

“I was recently at an event and I saw that France was celebrating Victory Day, but we didn’t,” Trump told the audience. “And I saw France was celebrating another Victory Day for World War II. And other countries were celebrating. They were all celebrating. We’re the one that won the wars.”

The President’s comments reframed November 11 — traditionally recognized as Veterans Day — as a broader celebration of America’s historic triumphs. Trump tied the date’s origins to the 1918 Armistice that ended World War I, signed in a railway car in Compiègne, France. He noted that while the day commemorates peace, it also represents the culmination of American strength that helped secure victory for the Allied powers.

“Other nations honor their victories,” Trump said. “It’s time we do the same — to remember not only the sacrifice but the triumph that ensured the survival of freedom itself.”

Trump’s proposal to rebrand Veterans Day as “Victory Day” resonated with many veterans and supporters in attendance, who applauded his emphasis on American exceptionalism. The President also extended his remarks to include the nation’s victory in World War II, praising the generation that defeated fascism and restored global order.

Historians note that while November 11 originally marked the end of World War I, it evolved into Veterans Day after World War II to honor all who served in uniform. The armistice of 1918 was the product of coordinated Allied efforts, including British, French, and later American troops, but U.S. forces played a crucial role in tipping the balance toward victory.

Trump’s speech fits within his broader effort to restore patriotic symbolism and assert America’s leadership on the world stage. By invoking “Victory Day,” he sought to rekindle a sense of national pride rooted in achievement rather than mere remembrance — a theme that has defined much of his rhetoric since returning to office.

As the ceremony concluded beneath clear autumn skies, the President laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, saluting veterans as the nation’s “living legacy of victory.” His closing words echoed across Arlington’s solemn expanse: “We don’t just honor the fallen — we celebrate what they won for us: peace, liberty, and the greatest nation on Earth.”