In his message for the 81st anniversary of America and her allies defeating the Nazis, President Donald Trump declared, “As we celebrate Victory Day for World War II — we celebrate America’s monumental triumph over tyranny and evil in Europe, led by the might of our Armed Forces and those of our Allies.”
The president enthusiastically praised our WWII heroes, “From the legendary storming of the beaches of Normandy to the frigid, hard-fought defense during the Battle of the Bulge, the courage of countless American soldiers carried the Allied cause across the deserts of North Africa and the forests of western Europe until the forces of the Nazi regime collapsed in ruin.”
Indeed, in spite of having almost entirely incompetent, politically correct, and indecisive generals (George Patton always and Douglas MacArthur sometimes excepted), our remarkable American soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines took on one of the most genocidal empires in history and won. Sadly, few of these heroes of the “greatest generation” are still alive, but we must never forget their sacrifice. Nor must we refuse to take on the genocidal dictatorships of our day, carrying on their legacy.
That is exactly what Trump emphasized in his proclamation ahead of V-E Day, which is May 8. “Their sacrifice, together with the unwavering resolve of millions of men and women on the home front, drove tyranny to its knees and paved the way for the Allied powers to secure their resounding victory against Imperial Japan nearly 4 months later,” Trump praised the U.S. military.
Today is Victory in Europe Day.
— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) May 8, 2026
On this day in 1945, Nazi Germany unconditionally surrendered to the Allies, ending World War II in Europe.
We shall never forget the bravery and sacrifice of the Allied armies, who saved the world from Nazism. pic.twitter.com/DBAFDCz1Ry
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Sometimes it seems as if Americans look back on World War II and take our victory in it for granted. But victory was by no means assured when the United States first came into the war against the Nazis. The collapse of the Third Reich was a hard-won triumph.
But even while expressing all the joy that Americans felt on V-E Day 1945, Trump also acknowledged the price of that victory:
The fight for liberty came at a staggering cost. More than 250,000 Americans laid down their lives in the fight against the Nazi regime. Their heroic sacrifice reminds us that the sacred freedoms we cherish are forged in sacrifice and must be fiercely defended both at home and abroad. Let us remember them, and the millions of innocent souls who endured horrendous atrocities, and lost their lives, at the hands of national socialism.
Trump ended by putting the V-E Day anniversary in the context of this 250th birthday year for America. “As we celebrate 250 years of American independence, we carry their legacy forward by ensuring our Armed Forces remain the most dominant in the world, ready to safeguard our sovereignty, to confront any threat, and preserve the flame of liberty they fought so valiantly to defend,” Trump promised.
So fly your American flag proudly and pay tribute to a World War II veteran, living or deceased, on this V-E Day! I am very proud of my grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-uncles who served in World War II and helped secure the historic victory.
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