According to Donald Trump, Veterans Day should be renamed because Americans need “to start celebrating our victories again.” Trump said on Truth Social late Thursday night that he will rename Veterans Day as “Victory Day for World War I,” arguing that it is time for the United States to resume “celebrating our victories again.”
“We won both Wars, nobody was close to us in terms of strength, bravery, or military brilliance, but we never celebrate anything,” tweeted the president. “That is because we no longer have leaders who know how to do so!” We’ll start enjoying our successes again!” As if one change wasn’t enough, Trump announced that he would rename Victory in Europe Day, which is traditionally observed on May 8 to commemorate the Allied defeat of Nazi Germany, to “Victory in World War II Day.”
“We did more than any other country, by far, in producing a victorious result on World War II,” Trump continues, arguing that this adjustment is all about correcting the record. According to Politico, while the former president’s comments are sure to resonate with his most ardent fans, many are perplexed by the renaming of Veterans Day in particular.
In the 1950s, the holiday was expanded to honor veterans of all US battles, including World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, the Gulf War, and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. It was first established in 1919 as Armistice Day to commemorate the end of World War I. Veterans Day, declared a federal holiday in 1968, has evolved into a solemn occasion commemorating generations of American service members.
Although it is commonly referred to as Victory in Europe Day, May 8, the day that marked the end of World War II combat in Europe, is not even an official holiday in the United States. However, the United States did not officially end the war until September 1945, a few months later, when Japan surrendered after the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
What about Trump’s claim that America “did more than any other country” to win WWII? That might result in severe international reaction, particularly from Russia.