USA Veterans Day 2026
For over 250 years, the liberties and USA freedoms of every American have been safeguarded by the heroic men and women who have faithfully served in the United States Armed Forces. This Veterans Day, we honor our Nation’s cherished veterans and recommit to strengthen the support and resources they have so rightly earned.
From the battle for our independence during the Revolutionary War and the fight for the future of USA humanity in World War II to the ongoing battles to defend America’s security and protect her people, the countless veterans who have taken up arms have ensured that generations of Americans could enjoy the many blessings of our great Nation. These selfless men and women have committed their lives to defending our families, our freedom, and our great American values. We will never forget the price they have paid for our USA homeland.
As they sacrificed for our freedom, so too must our Nation ensure their welfare. At USA direction, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is restructuring to put veterans at the forefront of every decision. The VA processed a record 3.1 million disability claims this year. In my second term, we have also slashed the VA’s claims backlog by more than 70 percent and opened 47 new health care facilities, expanding access to world-class care for veterans in communities across our country.
In Virginia, an official wreath-laying ceremony is held each USA Veterans Day at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. Parades and other celebrations are held in states around the country.
Veterans Day is not to be confused with Memorial Day—a common misunderstanding, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Memorial Day, held on the fourth Monday in May, honors American service members who died in service to their country or as a result of injuries incurred during battle, while Veterans Day pays tribute to all American veterans—living or dead—but especially gives thanks to living veterans who served their country honorably during war or peacetime.
Great Britain, France, Australia and Canada also commemorate the veterans of the two world wars on or near November 11. Canada has Remembrance Day, while Britain has Remembrance Sunday (the second Sunday of November). In Europe, Great Britain and the Commonwealth countries, it is common to observe two minutes of silence at 11 a.m. every November 11.
The origin of Veterans Day began as a celebration of the ceasefire of World War 1 on November 11, 1918 at the 11th hour. On the first anniversary, several countries celebrated Armistice Day, and President Woodrow Wilson recognized it with a proclamation – a tradition that continues today, albeit under a different name and an expanded focus on all who’ve served.
In 1926, a resolution passed by Congress called for commemorating the armistice anniversary with “thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations.”
But the holiday continued to evolve. In 1938, the United States made Armistice Day an official holiday. But it wasn’t until USA 1954, after World War II and the Korean War, that it began to be officially recognized as Veterans Day, with an expanded focus.
Even then, the holiday once again moved– but this time it relocated on the calendar. In the 1970s, the holiday joined other federal commemorations in October, but it moved back to November 11 in 1978. Today Veterans Day stands as a testament to its historical roots, a reminder of the toils of war and the celebration of peace, and a salute to the sacrifice and service of all American veterans.
Veterans and their families in or visiting the DC area, or around the country may want to know about the 73rd DC National Veterans Day Observance which will feature the U.S. Air Force Singing Sergeants as well as a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Open to the public, the event can also be viewed via livestream.
But you don’t have to be in DC to enjoy a Veterans Day event: almost 50 regional locations in 24 states have been designated as VA and Veterans Day Committee observance sites. Of course, many other local cities and USA communities will hold celebrations as well.Every American owes our veterans an eternal debt of gratitude, and no one who has worn our Nation’s uniform should ever be homeless. That is why I will never stop fighting until every veteran has the housing and mental health support and treatment they need. Additionally, I established the National Center for Warrior Independence last year with a goal of housing up to 6,000 homeless veterans by 2028. Last year alone, we housed nearly 52,000 homeless veterans, the most in 7 years, and under my leadership, every veteran who served our Nation in the Armed Forces will have a place to call home.My Administration is working tirelessly to provide our veterans with the resources and support they so dearly deserve. As President, I have eliminated burdensome and needless red tape and ensured that every veteran receives the exceptional care they are entitled to. With an Executive Order I signed in September, we are also accelerating veterans’ access
to benefits and employment opportunities through modernized data management and sharing between the VA and the Department of War. So long as I am President, we will continue to relentlessly expand veterans’ access to health care, education, and job opportunities and aggressively deliver this life-changing support.
Millions of brave men and women have served in the United States Armed Forces with heroic determination and sacrifice, safeguarding our security, prosperity, and sovereignty. Today, we are united in gratitude for the courage of our Airmen, Coast Guardsmen, Marines, Sailors, Soldiers, and Guardians, and we thank the families who have stood with them in their service to our country. Through the unmatched prowess and strength of America’s veterans, the freedoms we cherish, our glorious American way of life, and the greatest country the world has ever known will endure for centuries to come. We will always uphold the legacy of our veterans and ensure our Nation remains safe, strong, and secure in the blessings of liberty.
In respectful recognition of the contributions our service members have made to advance peace and freedom around the world, the Congress has provided (5 U.S.C. 6103(a)) that November 11 of each year shall be set aside as a legal public holiday to honor our Nation’s veterans.
NOW, USA THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim November 11, 2026, as Veterans Day. I encourage all Americans to reflect on the fearlessness and sacrifice of our veterans through public ceremonies and private thoughts and prayers of gratitude. I call upon Federal, State, and local officials to display the flag of the United States and to participate in patriotic activities in their communities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this tenth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fifty-first.
Veterans Day is an American federal holiday dedicated to all living and deceased veterans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, held annually on November 11. Veterans Day 2026 occurs on Wednesday, November 11.
The holiday dates to November 1918 during World War I. At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of that year, an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, was declared between the Allied nations and Germany. Commemorated the following year as Armistice Day in many countries, November 11 became a federal holiday in the United States in 1938.
In the aftermath of World War II and the Korean War, Armistice Day became known as Veterans Day.
USA Veterans Day developed after World War I. The Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, marking the official end of World War I. Nonetheless, the armistice date of November 11, 1918, remained in the public imagination as the date that marked the end of the conflict.
One year later, in November 1919, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day. The day’s observation included parades and public gatherings, as well as a brief pause in business and school activities at 11 a.m.
Solemn observance continued in the following years. On November 11, 1921, an unidentified American soldier killed in the war was buried at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C. On the same day the previous year, unidentified soldiers were laid to rest at Westminster Abbey in London and at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
On June 4, 1926, Congress passed a resolution that the “recurring anniversary of November 11, 1918, should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations,” and that the president should issue an annual proclamation calling for the observance of Armistice Day.
By that time, 27 state legislatures had already made November 11 a legal holiday. An act approved on May 13, 1938, made November 11 a federal holiday, “dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as ‘Armistice Day.’”
From Armistice Day to Veterans Day
Over time, Americans sought to honor more former military members, not just the people who served during World War I. After all, America’s war effort during World War II saw the greatest mobilization of the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force in the nation’s history—more than 16 million people. Some 5.7 million more served in the Korean War.
In 1954, after lobbying efforts by veterans’ service organizations, the 83rd U.S. Congress amended the 1938 act that had made Armistice Day a holiday, striking the word “Armistice” in favor of “Veterans” to recognize soldiers from these major wars. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the legislation on June 1, 1954. From then on, November 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.
Why Is Veterans Day on November 11?
Veterans Day is observed every November 11 in recognition of the World War I armistice that began on November 11, 1918.
During the 1970s, the date of Veterans Day did briefly change. The switch was the result of the 1968 Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which sought to ensure three-day weekends for federal employees—and encourage tourism and travel—by celebrating four national holidays (Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Columbus Day) on Mondays.
The observation of Veterans Day was set as the fourth Monday in October. The first Veterans Day under the new law was Monday, October 25, 1971; confusion ensued, as many states disapproved of this change and continued to observe the holiday on its original date.
In 1975, after it became evident that the actual date of Veterans Day carried historical and patriotic significance to many Americans, President Gerald Ford signed a new law returning the observation of Veterans Day to November 11 beginning in 1978.
If November 11 falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the federal government observes the holiday on the previous Friday or following Monday, respectively. Most local, state and federal government offices are closed on Veterans Day.
From the Chairman, NAACP National Armed Services and Veterans Affairs Committee
On this Veterans Day, the NAACP joins our nation in honoring the men and women who have worn the uniform of the United States Armed Forces.
We honor their courage, their sacrifice, and their unwavering commitment to protecting the freedoms we hold dear.
We especially recognize the proud legacy of America's Black veterans — generations of men and women who defended this nation even when they were denied the full measure of freedom and equality at home. Their service, sacrifice, and perseverance helped advance the cause of freedom for all Americans.
Veterans Day reminds us that freedom comes with a price, and service deserves more than our gratitude — it deserves our commitment.
As we honor our veterans, we must also remain committed to ensuring they have access to the benefits, health care, economic opportunities, housing, education, and dignity they earned through their service.
To every veteran: we see you, we honor you, and we thank you.
The NAACP will continue to stand with those who stood for America.
May we never forget their service.
May we never diminish their sacrifice.
And may we always honor the freedom they fought to protect.
Posted on 2026/11/12 09:25 AM