Trump plans to rebrand Veterans Day as 'Victory Day for World War I'
Let's talk about Donald Trump's latest hot take. Back on Thursday, ol' Donny boy suggested a couple of name changes to celebrate some of our past military victories. He proposed that Veterans Day, on the 11th of November, should be rebranded as "Victory Day for World War I". Similarly, May 8 would be known as "Victory Day for World War II". According to Trump, we've been failing to acknowledge our military prowess, as he put it, "We never celebrate anything".
Apparently, Trump fancies himself the king of celebration revival. He took to Truth Social to proclaim this bold move, stating that we're going to "start celebrating our victories again!". But here's the kicker, he didn't drop an executive order or reveal any concrete plans on making this a reality. As it stands, Congress holds the power to create and modify public holidays.
Trump's plan seems to be inspired by how our allies commemorate V-E Day, or "Victory in Europe", every year. He's made it clear that he thinks the US played a significant role in defeating Nazi Germany, but it's safe to say this statement might meet some resistance in Russia. Every May 9, they celebrate the Soviet victory over German forces in World War II, a day they consider one of their most important national holidays.
It's worth mentioning that Veterans Day used to be called Armistice Day in the United States, recognizing the end of World War I. After a couple more conflicts and a victim count that grew, it was renamed and broadened to honor all U.S. military veterans. Memorial Day, on the last Monday in May, is dedicated to those who gave their lives for the country.
Trump didn't provide many specifics on what sorts of celebrations he had in mind for these two days. However, he's expressed an interest in orchestrating military parades around Washington DC in the past.
Some folks are raising an eyebrow at this proposal, questioning whether it's more than just lip service. As it stands, there's no legislative action or official bill linked to this name change idea [1]. So for now, we'll keep celebrating Veterans Day, or join our allies in commemorating V-E Day, and see where Trump's plan goes.
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[1] According to recent reports, President Donald Trump has indeed suggested renaming Veterans Day to "Victory Day for World War I" and marking May 8 as "Victory Day for World War II". However, there is no further information available about the current status of this proposal or whether it has progressed beyond an initial suggestion. The proposal does not appear to be part of any official bill or legislation yet, and Veterans Day remains federally recognized on November 11.
- Trump has recently proposed renaming Veterans Day to "Victory Day for World War I" and marking May 8 as "Victory Day for World War II", as he expressed in a post on Truth Social.
- Trump's plan seems inspired by how allies, particularly our allies who commemorate V-E Day annually, celebrate victory in World War II.
- However, it is worth noting that there is no concrete legislative action or official bill currently linked to this proposal, making the status of this name change uncertain.
- While Trump has shown an interest in orchestrating military parades around Washington D.C., the specific nature of the celebrations he has in mind for these two days remains unclear.
- As of 2025, the policy landscape continues to await the progress of this proposal, with Veterans Day still federally recognized on November 11.
