U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris marked Veterans Day on Monday by laying a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery, their first joint appearance since Harris’s election defeat to Donald Trump last week.
The somber ceremony, held at Arlington’s historic Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, marked Harris’s first public appearance since conceding the election on November 6. Democrats, still grappling with the loss, are now engaging in internal discussions over the reasons behind the election outcome. Some have pointed to Biden’s decision to seek re-election at 81, despite earlier indicating he would pass the torch to a new generation.
While criticism of Harris has been muted, Biden recently commended her during a televised address, underscoring his respect for her contributions to the administration. Earlier in the day, Biden hosted veterans at the White House in honor of the holiday before traveling to Arlington. Accompanied by Harris, both leaders placed their hands over their hearts before the wreath-laying ceremony. Biden was also scheduled to deliver remarks at the cemetery’s Memorial Amphitheater.
This Veterans Day commemoration precedes a meeting on Wednesday at the White House, where Biden will host President-elect Trump. Trump, who has begun appointing figures to his upcoming administration, recently announced former Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) director Tom Homan as “border czar” and Congresswoman Elise Stefanik as the incoming U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
While Trump often declares his support for the military, he has faced criticism over past comments regarding veterans. His former Chief of Staff, retired General John Kelly, alleged that Trump disparaged fallen soldiers, referring to them as “suckers” and “losers”—a claim Trump denies. Trump has also openly criticized late Senator John McCain, a decorated Vietnam War veteran, reinforcing ongoing tensions regarding his stance on veterans.
