总统乔·拜登在阵亡将士纪念日向全国发表的讲话中，奥巴马说，美国人有“责任”维护民主理想，许多军人和他们的家人为此牺牲了
在华盛顿一个多云的早晨，拜登在阿灵顿国家公墓的圆形剧场发表演讲，表彰了自内战以来在每一次重大冲突中服役的人。
“每一代人，我们倒下的英雄都让我们更亲近，”他继续说道。“今天，我们不仅是他们遗产的幸运继承人。我们有责任成为他们使命的守护者。他们生命中最真实的纪念。我们每天为确保我们的民主得以延续而采取的行动。美国的理念永存。”
拜登对那些失去亲人的军人家庭发表讲话说，他知道在2015年因脑癌失去儿子博后会有多困难。拜登总统周一重申，他认为癌症源于博在伊拉克服役期间暴露于烧伤坑。
“我知道这很痛。这种伤害仍然是真实的，仍然是未愈合的，”他说，并指出本周将是博去世九周年。“失去他的痛苦每天都伴随着我，就像你们许多人一样。依然尖锐，依然清晰，但我为他服务的自豪感也是如此，仿佛我仍能听到他说，“这是我的职责，爸爸，这是我的职责。”"
“在这一天，我们再次聚集在一起反思，记住但最重要的是，重新致力于他们为之奋斗的未来，”他补充说。“一个基于自由、民主、机会和平等的未来，不仅仅是为了某些人，而是为了所有人。”
国防部长劳埃德·奥斯汀和参谋长联席会议主席布朗将军也在周一的仪式上发表讲话，感谢服役人员及其家人。
在发表讲话之前，拜登参加了在阿灵顿国家公墓无名战士墓的传统敬献花圈活动。在纪念碑前献上花圈后，拜登画了个十字。
副总统卡玛拉·哈里斯和国务卿奥斯丁也出席了仪式。当熄灯号响起时，三位领导人手捂着心口站着。
周一早些时候，拜登在白宫与政府官员、军队领导层、退伍军人和金星家庭成员共进早餐，纪念阵亡将士纪念日。
下周，拜登总统将前往法国诺曼底参加诺曼底登陆80周年纪念活动。
拜登在周一的讲话中强调，那些在那一天战斗的人是“最伟大的一代人的成员，他们在80年前的下周解放了一个大陆并拯救了世界。”
总统接着赞扬了所有反对法西斯主义、共产主义和恐怖主义的人。
拜登说:“十年又一年，一次又一次的巡演，这些战争为我们的自由和其他人的自由而战，因为自由从未得到保障。
“每一代人都必须在专制与民主、少数人的贪婪与多数人的权利之间的斗争中赢得、争取和捍卫民主，”他继续说道。“这很重要。我们的民主不仅仅是一种政府制度。这是美国的灵魂所在。”
拜登总统在阿灵顿国家公墓度过了一个上午，前总统唐纳德·特朗普(Donald Trump)在他的社交媒体平台上发布了一些消息，纪念阵亡将士纪念日。特朗普是共和党推定提名人，也是拜登2024年的挑战者。
其中一条帖子包括特朗普致敬的照片，并配文“我们永远无法取代他们。我们永远无法报答他们，但我们可以永远记住。今天，这就是我们正在做的——我们记住了。”
然而，在随后一篇帖子中，特朗普在攻击成功对他提起诽谤诉讼的E. Jean Carroll和在纽约监督其民事商业欺诈审判的Arthur Engoron法官之前简要提到了阵亡将士纪念日。
“祝所有人阵亡将士纪念日快乐，包括那些努力摧毁我们曾经伟大国家的人渣，&偏向激进左翼，”特朗普写道。
Biden, in Memorial Day speech, says Americans must continue upholding democracy
PresidentJoe Biden, in his Memorial Day message to the nation, said Americans have a "responsibility" to uphold democratic ideals for which so many service members and their families have sacrificed
In a speech at the amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery, on a cloudy morning in Washington, Biden honored those who served in every major conflict since the Civil War.
“Every generation, our fallen heroes have brought us closer,” he continued. “Today we are not just fortunate heirs of their legacy. We have a responsibility to be the keepers of their mission. That truest memorial of their lives. The actions we take every day to ensure our democracy endures. The very idea of America endures.”
Biden, addressing military families of those who have lost loved ones, said he knows how difficult it can be after losing his son Beau to brain cancer in 2015. President Biden on Monday reiterated his belief the cancer stemmed from exposure to burn pits during Beau's deployment in Iraq.
"I know it hurts. The hurt is still real, still raw," he said, noting this week will mark nine years since Beau's death. "The pain of his loss is with me everyday as it is for so many of you. Still sharp, still clear but so is the pride I feel in his service as if I can still hear him saying, 'It’s my duty, dad, it’s my duty.'"
"On this day we came together again to reflect, to remember but above all, to recommit to the future they fought for," he added. "A future grounded in freedom, democracy, opportunity and equality not just for some but for all."
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Gen. C.Q. Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also delivered remarks during Monday's ceremony thanking service members and their families.
Before his remarks, Biden took part in the traditional wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. After presenting the wreath at the memorial, also known as the Tomb of the Unknowns, Biden made the sign of the cross.
He was joined at the ceremony by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary Austin. The three leaders stood with their hands over their hearts as the taps played.
Earlier Monday, Biden hosted a breakfast at the White House with administration officials, military leadership, veterans and Gold Star family members to mark Memorial Day.
Next week, President Biden will travel to Normandy, France to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
In his speech on Monday, Biden highlighted those who fought on that day as "members of the greatest generation who, 80 years ago nextweek, liberated a continent andsaved the world."
The president went on to praised all those who've battled against fascism, communism and terrorism.
"Decade after decade, tour after tour, these wars fought for our freedom and the freedom of others because freedom has never been guaranteed," Biden said.
"Every generation has to earn it, fight for it, defend it in battle between autocracy and democracy, between the greed of a few and the rights of many," he continued. "It matters. Our democracy is more than just a system of government. It is the very soul of America."
As President Biden spent the morning at Arlington National Cemetery, former President Donald Trump -- the presumptive Republican nominee and Biden's 2024 challenger-- posted some messages to his social media platform to mark Memorial Day.
One post included a photo of Trump giving a salute with the caption, "We can never replace them. We can never repay them, but we can always remember. Today, that is what we are doing -- we remember."
In a subsequent post, however, Trump briefly mention Memorial Day before attacking E. Jean Carroll, who successfully brought a defamation case against him, and Judge Arthur Engoron, who oversaw his civil business fraud trial in New York.
“Happy Memorial Day to All, including the Human Scum that is working so hard to destroy our Once Great Country,& to the Radical Left,” Trump wrote.
