US President Donald Trump has honoured American military veterans at a Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, pledging continued support for those who have served in the country’s armed forces.
Trump made the pledge during an address where he joined Vice President JD Vance and First Lady Melania Trump to commemorate veterans and remember fallen service members.
The ceremony included a wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, one of the nation’s most significant memorials to unidentified military personnel.
Addressing veterans and their families, Trump expressed gratitude for their sacrifices and described their service as central to preserving American freedom.
“To every veteran here at Arlington and across the nation: today we render you the highest salute, we offer you our deepest respect and love, and we pledge you our utmost loyalty and devotion,” he said.
He also promised that his administration would continue to honour its obligations to former service members.
“America’s veterans have always fulfilled their duty to us, and while I’m President of the United States, we will always fulfil our duty to them,” Trump said.
The president paid tribute to veterans who served in major conflicts, including World War II, the Vietnam War, Afghanistan and the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing.
Among those recognised was 103-year-old retired Corporal Jack Myers, who served as a gunner with the 692nd Tank Destroyer Battalion during World War II.
Trump recalled Myers’ participation in the Battle of the Bulge in 1944 and his battalion’s role in the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp.
The president also recognised retired Army Colonel Douglas Moore, a Vietnam War medical evacuation pilot who completed 1,874 combat missions and helped evacuate 2,782 wounded soldiers.
Another honouree was Green Beret veteran Ryan Hendrickson, who lost part of his lower body in an explosion during a mission in Afghanistan in 2010 but returned to the country 18 months later. He received the Silver Star for his courage.
Trump also remembered Marine veteran Dale Garner, who survived the October 1983 bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, which killed 241 American service members.
Beyond the commemorations, Trump highlighted his administration’s efforts to improve healthcare, housing and benefits for former military personnel.
According to the White House, more than 95,000 homeless veterans were housed in the 2025 and 2026 fiscal years.
The administration also reported a nearly 70 per cent reduction in the veterans’ benefits backlog since January 2025, alongside the processing of a record 3.11 million compensation claims in the 2026 fiscal year.
It further said more than 330,000 new veterans enrolled in Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare in 2026, while nearly $5bn was invested in modernising and repairing medical facilities.
Trump said the country must never forget the sacrifices made by those who served, pledging continued commitment to their welfare.
“We say to every American veteran: the sacrifice you have made, we will never forget; the oath that you have kept, we will never take for granted,” he said.
