A somber service to commemorate America’s fallen soldiers turned into a chance for President Donald Trump to reflect on his name and boast about his military prowess.
Speaking at Arlington National Cemetery to commemorate Memorial Day, the 79-year-old paused to joke that there were “not too many” soldiers named Donald buried on the hallowed grounds where he stood.
Trump received five military deferments during the 1960s, four for academic reasons and one for bone spurs.
The Commander in Chief also boasted that no lives were lost when the U.S. struck Venezuela, as he paid tribute to “13 wonderful souls” who were killed as part of his war with Iran.
“In two wars recently, we’ve lost a total of 13 service members,” the draft dodger said.
“In Venezuela—which was a complete and total victory, where we’re working very closely with the Venezuelan government right now, we took that over in one day. Lost no one. In Operation Epic Fury, we lost 13 wonderful souls.”
The Memorial Day service, during which Trump laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and delivered remarks alongside Vice President JD Vance and Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, came as the president faces pressure within his own party over his push for a negotiated end to the war in Iran.
The president claimed on Saturday that a deal is “largely negotiated,” though administration officials say key issues, including Iran’s nuclear program and enriched uranium stockpile, remain unresolved.
The emerging framework also triggered a rare revolt among Republican hawks who had strongly backed the president’s decision to launch military action against Iran earlier this year.
Texas Senator Ted Cruz warned that if the war merely resulted in Iran still being able to enrich uranium and develop nuclear weapons, as well as control the Strait of Hormuz, “then that outcome would be a disastrous mistake.”
Fellow Senator and longtime Trump suck-up Lindsey Graham also cautioned that any agreement allowing Iran to retain regional leverage would be viewed as a strategic victory for Tehran, while Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker blasted initial reports of a proposed 60-day ceasefire, arguing that the gains of “Operation Epic Fury” risked being squandered.
Trump, however, has brushed off the criticism, insisting negotiators will not be rushed into a “bad deal” and arguing that the United States still “holds the cards” in negotiations.
But in a sign that the politics of the situation are weighing on his mind, Trump began Memorial Day by rage posting about the war, insisting on Truth Social that “the deal with Iran will either be a great and meaningful one, or there will be no deal.”
“Happy Memorial Day to all, including the Dumocrats, who disrespect our Military and all of the tremendous success that it has had over the last year. God Bless those that have made the ultimate sacrifice. I love you all! President DONALD J. TRUMP,” he wrote in a separate post.
At Arlington National Cemetery, Trump sought to adopt a more solemn tone as he delivered a speech commemorating fallen soldiers.
The president largely stuck to the script during his remarks, but pivoted briefly as he cited some of the names of “400,000 souls” buried at the cemetery.
He began by citing Private William Henry Christman of Pennsylvania, who was the first military burial at Arlington.
“Beside him are more than 18,000 other young men named William, over 20,000 named John, over 13,000 named James, joined over time by Isaac, Elijah, Earls, Hanks, Helens, Juans, Margarets, Marius, Donalds…” he said, before adding with a laugh: “Not too many.”
