President Donald Trump defended the war against Iran despite growing popular opposition to it, during a veterans’ memorial ceremony that saw the Army Guard reprimand Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for not showing due respect near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
In a speech he delivered at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, Trump said, “The courage and skill of our wonderful American warriors were exceptional by all standards.”
He added, "When this war ends, which will happen soon, the entire world will become a safer and better place, more peaceful and free of the dangers that we have been forced to suffer."
The war, which began on February 28 with American-Israeli strikes against Iran, has so far resulted in the death of 23 American soldiers and the injury of hundreds, according to Pentagon figures.
In his statements, Trump indicated that this war was not started by Washington but by Tehran, which he said “has been waging a war against America since 1979.” He stressed that American forces are working to prevent Iran from possessing the ability to manufacture a nuclear weapon.
During his speech before a crowd of soldiers, veterans, and senior administration officials, Trump singled out Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who was present, praising his “wonderful work.”
On Tuesday, Republican members of the US House of Representatives obstructed an effort launched by an outgoing Republican lawmaker to isolate Hegseth, on the grounds that he launched a war without authorization from Congress and misused his powers as Minister of Defense.
Hegseth sparked more controversy during the ceremony, as one of the army personnel charged with guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier reprimanded a small group of people, including Hegseth, his wife, and a number of his aides, after some of them laughed after they took a picture in front of the shrine.
“All visitors must maintain an atmosphere of calm and respect at all times,” the guard said, after stopping his patrol to direct his gaze towards the group as they were climbing some stairs to leave, while Hegseth turned to look at him.
Trump (80 years old) participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the “Shrine of the Unknown Soldier” in the cemetery, which is an edifice that honors American soldiers who fell in wars.
In his speech, Trump also discussed the “Arc de Triomphe” project, which is 76 meters high, and which he hopes to build near the cemetery, indicating that it will be inaugurated “soon.”
The family of John F. Kennedy asked the court on Tuesday to prevent the construction of this arch, claiming that the huge structure would block the view and cast shadows over the burials of the late president and other members of the Kennedy family buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
The project also faces lawsuits from a veterans group, the city of Washington and the state of Virginia.
Former US President Joe Biden said that he did not know that he had cancer while he was president, and that he would not have sought to run for a second presidential term if he had been diagnosed with the disease at that time, according to what was reported by the Associated Press.
The former Democratic president's statements came during an interview with People magazine before the release of his memoirs about his time in the White House next Tuesday.
Biden, who celebrates his 84th birthday on November 20, said: “If I had known that the reason I felt ill was because I had cancer, I would not have moved forward” in the 2024 re-election race, a race that ended after a disastrous performance in the debate against Republican rival Donald Trump.
It is noteworthy that Biden was diagnosed with prostate cancer a few months after leaving the White House in 2025.
The White House issued a warning to Democrats about the investigations they plan to conduct into the administration of US President Donald Trump, going so far as to claim that such investigations - which are part of the traditional oversight duties of Congress - may amount to “blatant criminal conduct,” according to what was reported by the Associated Press.
White House Counsel Will Scharf issued this warning in a letter dated Monday, addressed to Representative Robert Garcia, the most prominent Democrat on the House Oversight Committee.
It is likely that Garcia will chair this influential committee in the new Congress, which will begin its work in January, where the Democrats have the majority. Garcia had advised Trump administration officials to “seek lawyers” following the sudden major victories his party achieved in the midterm elections last week.
In response, Scharf wrote in a letter on Monday that “threats directed at executive branch officials, aimed at dissuading them from public service, or any actions intended only to offend or instill fear in the hearts of the recipients, may cross the line into blatant criminal behavior.”
For his part, Garcia commented on the letter, saying: “It seems that Donald Trump has something to hide,” stressing that the investigative powers enjoyed by Congress do not require “permission from the White House.”
Garcia added: “Congress has broad powers to conduct investigations and exercise oversight, a power rooted in the power of legislation. The American people voted overwhelmingly for us to pass laws aimed at rooting out corruption and abuse of power.”
In an interview with CNN that aired on Sunday, Todd Blanche, who serves as Attorney General, stated that “there may be” a crime that warrants investigation if the Democrats’ statements turn into threats. However, he appeared to adopt a more conciliatory tone during an appearance in Missouri this week, where he said: “Congress has oversight power; He always had him, and he always will. The Department of Justice and the federal government are working with Congress to respond to its inquiries - whether through subpoenas or formal letters - so we will not stop cooperating with Congress.”
He added: “Nothing I have said this weekend, or in the past, suggests otherwise.”
It is noteworthy that Democrats expressed their desire to examine Trump's real estate projects in the vicinity of the American capital, in addition to his dealings in the field of cryptocurrencies in cooperation with his special envoy Steve Witkoff.
