Trump Defends Iran Policy at Arlington Veterans Day Commemoration

President Donald Trump defended the U.S.-led conflict against Iran during a Veterans Day commemoration at Arlington National Cemetery, stating the war would soon end and leave the world safer and more peaceful.

The confrontation, which began on February 28 with U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran, has so far resulted in 23 U.S. service member deaths and hundreds of injuries, according to the latest Pentagon figures.

Trump asserted that the conflict was initiated not by Washington, but by Tehran, which “has been waging war on America since 1979.” He emphasized that U.S. military action was necessary to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

At 80 years old, Trump participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the cemetery’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a sacred site honoring America’s fallen service members.

In his address to troops, veterans, and administration officials, Trump commended Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, telling him he had “done a fantastic job.”

Hegseth faced public criticism during the event when an army sentinel reprimanded him, his wife, and several aides for laughing while posing for a photograph in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The sentinel halted his patrol and reminded the group that “all visitors must maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times.”

Trump also referenced his proposal to construct a 250-foot-tall (76-meter-tall) triumphal arch just outside Arlington National Cemetery, stating it would be dedicated “soon.”

The project has drawn legal challenges: the family of John F. Kennedy asked a court to block construction, arguing the massive structure would obstruct views and cast shadows over the slain president’s grave and other Kennedy family burial sites. Additionally, the arch faces lawsuits from veterans’ groups, the City of Washington, and the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Separately, Republican lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives blocked an effort initiated by an outgoing Republican member to impeach Hegseth, who is alleged to have waged war without congressional authorization and abused his powers as Pentagon chief.

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