Washington: US President Donald Trump marked Memorial Day by touting his administration’s achievements and remembered fallen service members, calling their love of country “more deep and more pure than most will ever know”, the media reported.
Trump commemorated the day which is held annually to honour service members who died for the US, with a tweet saying: “Happy Memorial Day! Those who died for our great country would be very happy and proud at how well our country is doing today. Best economy in decades, lowest unemployment numbers for Blacks and Hispanics ever (and women in 18 years), rebuilding our military and so much more. Nice!”
He had also tweeted a video in honour of the holiday.
Later he visited the Arlington National Cemetery where he placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and stood in silence as a bugle played “Taps”.
“They marched into hell so that America could know the blessings of peace. They died so that freedom could live,” he said.
“To every parent who weeps for a child, to every child who mourns for a parent and to every husband or wife whose heart has been torn in two today we ask God to comfort your pain, to ease your sorrow and to wipe away your tears.
“This is a very special day and today our whole country thanks you, embraces you and pledges to you we will never forget our heroes,” Trump added.
Trump honoured several living veterans in attendance, including former Republican Sen. Bob Dole and Ray Chavez, both World War II veterans. Chavez, at 106, is the oldest-living survivor of the attacks on Pearl Harbor, reports CNN.
However, Trump’s earlier tweet was ridiculed on social media,.
According to statistics from the Department of Labour, the black and Hispanic unemployment rates both reached record lows last month.
The initial quarterly growth figure for 2018 was far from Trump’s promise to hike annual economic growth to 3 per cent, a level he says will be attained as a result of his enormous tax reduction plan including significant tax cuts for companies and, to a lesser degree, for workers, reports Efe news.
The US unemployment rate also fell to 3.9 per cent in April, the first time it has been below 4 per cent since 2000.(IANS)