Former U.S. President Donald Trump has announced the renaming of the World War I and World War II remembrance dates, traditionally known in the United States as Veterans Day, to “Victory Day.”
According to Naija News, Trump made the declaration on Thursday via his Truth Social platform. He stated that May 8, marking Germany’s surrender in World War II, will now be observed as “Victory Day for World War II,” while November 11, originally “Armistice Day” commemorating the end of World War I, will become “Victory Day for World War I.”
Victory Day is already recognized on May 8 by the European Union and on May 9 in some former Soviet countries. While World War II concluded in Europe in May 1945, the conflict persisted in Asia until Japan’s surrender in September of the same year, following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Trump argued that the U.S., having played a crucial role in the Allied victory, deserves to celebrate these historic achievements just as other nations do.
“Other countries mark these days as Victory Day, but America, which did more than any other country to secure victory, does not. That’s going to change,” Trump wrote.
He emphasized the need to honor the strength and sacrifice of U.S. soldiers, describing the renaming as a step toward restoring national pride.
“We won both wars with unmatched strength, courage, and military brilliance. But we’ve stopped celebrating our greatness. That ends now. We will once again celebrate our victories,” Trump declared.
