BIDEN, TRUMP DELIVER STARKLY DIFFERENT MEMORIAL DAY MESSAGES
By Miriam Raftery
Photo via the Whte House: President Joe Biden places a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery to honor soldiers buried there.
June 1, 2024 (Washington D.C.)—Speaking at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day yesterday, President Joe Biden praised soldiers who gave their life to protect our country, and highlighted efforts his administration has made to help military families and veterans. His rival in the November election, former President Donald Trump, took no steps to honor veterans in person, nor any promises to improve the lives of veterans or military members, instead issuing a vitriolic attack on America's judicial system.
“Today, we join our grief with gratitude,” President Biden said at Arlington. “Gratitude to our fallen heroes, to their families, and to the brave souls who continue to uphold the flame of liberty around the world.”
He added, “To everyone who’s lost and loved someone in the service of our country...I know how hard it can be,” recalling his son, Beau Biden, an Iraq War veteran died nine years ago of brain cancer linked to his exposure to toxic burn pits in Iraq. Biden noted that the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics or PACT Act that he championed and signed into law has enabled his administration to approve over a million claims from veterans injured by toxic exposures during their military service.
Biden has signed over 30 bipartisan laws supporting servicemembers, veterans and their families.“Last year, the VA delivered more benefits and processed more claims than ever in our nation’s history, he said, concluding, “May God bless our veterans, and may God protect our troops.”
Donald Trump posted a far darker and self-serving message on his Truth Social Platform. The former President failed to point to a single action his administration took to aid veterans, enlisted military members, or their families, nor did he mention any goals to help them if he is reelected.
Instead, the presumptive nominee, who was found guilty by a unanimous jury this week on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover up hush money payments to a porn star, railed against the judge slated to sentence Trump on July 11 in the criminal case. He also blasted E. Jean Carroll, the woman he was recently convicted of sexually assaulting and defaming, as well as a judge who found Trump guilty of of inflating and deflating property values to evade paying taxes in a separate civil case.
“Happy Memorial Day to All, including the Human Scum that is working so hard to destroy our Once Great Country,” Trump wrote, “and to the Radical Left, Trump hating Federal Judge in New York that presided over, get this, TWO separate trials, that awarded a woman, who I never met before (a quick handshake at a celebrity event, 25 years ago doesn’t county!) 91 MILLIN DOLLARS for “DEFAMATION”....Or Arthur Engoron, the N..Y State Wacko Judge who fined me almost 500 Million Dollars (UNDER APPEAL) for doing NOTHING WRONG....”
Trump has accused the Biden administrating of “fixing” the criminal trial, an allegation that is nonsensical given that all of Trumps convictions to date have been in New York state court, not federal court.
Trump did not speak to any military or veterans groups, nor visit any memorial sites to honor fallen troops.
His sole recognition of the spirit of Memorial Day was a separate, brief post online which read, “WE CAN NEVER REPLACE THEM. WE CAN NEVER REPAY THEM. BUT WE CAN ALWAYS REMEMBER.”