President Trump and first lady Melania Trump paid a surprise visit to Arlington National Cemetery Thursday afternoon to honor fallen soldiers.
The president and the first lady left the White House shortly after 2:00 p.m. to head to the cemetery, where Trump and members of the military placed American flags at grave sites. They visited the section of the cemetery where Gen. John J. Pershing, the American commander in Europe during World War I, and Frank Buckles, who had been the last living veteran of World War I, are buried.
The president’s visit comes just before Memorial Day weekend. Trump and the first lady are scheduled to travel to Tokyo, Japan this weekend for meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and a state banquet with Japan’s imperial family.
Trump will go to the Yokosuka U.S. Naval Base on Tuesday to further honor soldiers for Memorial Day, but he also wanted to go to Arlington Cemetery, according to White House press secretary Sarah Sanders.
Last year on Memorial Day, the president took part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the cemetery.
“We’re joined here today by the families of American heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice,” he said at the time. “We cannot imagine the depth of emotions that this day brings each year — the grief renewed, the memories relived, those last few beautiful moments together cherished.”
Trump did not make remarks during his visit Thursday.
