Melania and President Donald Trump made a surprise visit Thursday to Arlington National Cemetery to pay their respects and place American flags at the graves of soldiers.
At the cemetery, the president and first lady were greeted by four military personnel dressed in fatigues, per a White House pool report. (RELATED: Ivanka Turns Heads In Gorgeous Yellow Plaid Skirt Suit)
In various pictures, we can see POTUS and FLOTUS planting flags at the gravestones, pausing to pay their respects before moving on to the next one. (RELATED: Tiffany Trump Stuns In Sleeveless Black Dress At WH Christmas Party)
Ahead of Memorial Day, “more than 260,000 flags are planted in an event that spans the weekend known as ‘Flags In,’ according to director of operations at Arlington Cemetery,” the pool report added. (RELATED: Ivanka Turns Heads In Yellow And Black Floral Dress During Munich Trip)
The president is also expected to hold a Memorial Day event in Japan during his upcoming trip. WH Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Trump wanted to visit Arlington as well.
On Thursday, the first lady made a special trip to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, to visit with “wounded warriors” and present a Purple Heart.
View this post on Instagram
“I want to thank the service members I met today,” Melania explained. “As each of them recovers, we are reminded of the cost of our country’s security. I am grateful to each of these warriors and their families for what they sacrifice for our country.”
“The President and I will always stand with our men and women in uniform,” she added. “I also want to thank all the medical leadership and staff at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for the care and support they give our military members.”