Trump’s Veterans Day Message Compared to Those of Potential 2028 Contenders - Newsweek

President Donald Trump used his Veterans Day address at Arlington National Cemetery on Wednesday to honor U.S. service members while highlighting his administration's military record, veterans policies and foreign policy priorities.

Trump praised the sacrifices of those who served in uniform and said Americans owed an enduring debt to veterans.

"On Veterans Day, we honor those who have worn the uniform, who have worn the battle, who have stood to watch, whose ranks have formed the mighty wall of flesh and blood, of bravery and devotion that has defended our freedom for 250 years," Trump said.

He pointed to record military recruiting numbers, improvements in veterans' care and America's renewed strength on the world stage as accomplishments of his administration.

"Our republic has triumphed, and today our country is stronger than it has ever been before," Trump said.

The president referenced U.S. operations involving Iran and Venezuela, argued that American military power had been restored under his leadership and contrasted his administration's handling of veterans' issues with that of previous administrations.

He also touted his most recent construction project.

“Soon, we’re going to dedicate a magnificent triumphal arch to our veterans,” Trump told the crowd at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. “And that’s in honor of our great veterans and our great military. They’ve been waiting for it for 200 years."

Although the 2028 Republican presidential race has yet to take shape, Vice President JD Vance has consistently been viewed as an early front-runner in polling and prediction markets. Other Republicans frequently mentioned as potential contenders include Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. This is not a comprehensive list.

Vance, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2003 to 2007, recognized three World War II veterans alongside Trump at Arlington National Cemetery on Wednesday.

“One of the most important things our veterans do is not just fight for their country; they fight for their fellow veterans," Vance told the crowd. "And let me say, as one veteran to the next, we are picking up that torch every single day. We will never leave our veterans behind.”

Rubio, who is in Paris for the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting, released a video message on One America News Network, urging Americans to care for military members and their families.

"There is no higher calling for a citizen than defense of country, but in America today, it is a duty shouldered by less than 1 percent of our total population," he said in part.

The term-limited governor of Florida is reportedly setting up a conservative think tank and considering whether to make a 2028 bid, after suspending his 2024 presidential run.

He said service members should be honored for being willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

"Anyone who puts on the cloth of our country is sacrificing for something bigger than any individual," the governor posted to X in part.

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, who has success in a state that has trended Democratic, is frequently mentioned as a potential Republican contender in early 2028 discussions.

He marked Veterans Day by honoring the service and sacrifice of veterans and military families and expressing gratitude for their role in defending the nation's freedoms.

"Our veterans represent the very best of America: courage, selfishness, patriotism, and an unwavering commitment to something greater than themselves, Youngkin posted to X in part.

Several Democrats who posted Veterans Day messages are frequently mentioned as potential 2028 presidential contenders. Prediction markets and early political speculation have focused on figures including former Vice President Kamala Harris, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Georgia U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff and nearly a dozen others.

The former vice president and 2024 Democratic nominee has said she is "thinking about" a 2028 presidential campaign but has not decided.

Harris sent a message on X Wednesday, thanking veterans and their families.

"They represent the best of who we are as Americans," she wrote in part.

The governor of California paired his Veterans Day tribute with a policy-focused message, arguing that honoring veterans requires providing housing, healthcare and economic opportunities for those who have served and their families.

While Newsom has not announced a 2028 presidential campaign, he is widely viewed as a potential contender after years of building a national profile as one of the Democratic Party's most prominent voices.

On X, in part, the governor honored "the extraordinary men and women who answered the call to serve our country."

The Pennsylvania governor, also widely viewed as a potential Democratic presidential contender, has frequently appeared near the top of early 2028 polling and speculation about the party's future leadership.

Shapiro marked Veterans Day with a personal tribute to his father, a Navy veteran, thanking him and other veterans for protecting American freedoms at home and abroad.

"Nearly 700,000 veterans call Pennsylvania home — brave men and women who put on the uniform and served our Commonwealth and our country. On behalf of all of us, thank you for the countless sacrifices you made to fight for our freedoms and defend the values of our nation," the governor posted to X, in part.

The former transportation secretary, who previously sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020 and remains a frequent subject of 2028 speculation, has continued to appear in early polling and discussions about the party's next generation of national leaders.

Buttigieg, a Navy Reserve veteran who deployed to Afghanistan, marked Veterans Day by honoring service members and veterans while reflecting on the sacrifices made by military families and those who have worn the uniform.

"Without their courage, our way of life would be nothing but a pleasant theory," he said on X, in part.

The U.S. senator from Georgia who won reelection last week also appears near the top of early 2028 polling on the Democratic Party's future leadership.

"Veterans Day is not a day for sales at the mall. It's a day for us to reflect on our shared debt to those who have worn the uniform and served our nation and to their families," Ossoff said in a message shown on YouTube. "We are Americans first before we are Democrats or Republicans."

Ocasio-Cortez, whose name has also regularly surfaced in speculation about the Democratic Party's future leadership, honored veterans and military families in a message marking their service and sacrifice.

She says the government owes its veterans more.

"This Veterans Day, we must move past words and pass legislation to guarantee robust benefits for all who have served," the New York Democrat posted to X, in part.

Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here. Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Gabe Whisnant and Edward T. Cummins