U.S. President Donald Trump paid tribute to fallen American heroes during a Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, recounting the bravery of Green Beret Sergeant First Class Matthew McClintock, who was killed while attempting to rescue a fellow soldier during combat in Afghanistan.
Speaking before military families, veterans and government officials, Trump praised McClintock’s sacrifice as he honored members of the armed forces who died serving the United States.
“Matthew fell that day, but the soldier he gave his life to save survived and thrived,” Trump said during his address at Arlington.
The president recalled how McClintock enlisted in the Army in 2006 and later became a Green Beret. Trump said the soldier found himself in an hours-long firefight with Afghan militants in 2016 when one of his comrades suffered severe injuries.
According to Trump, McClintock volunteered to locate a landing zone for a medical evacuation helicopter despite warnings about the dangers posed by enemy fire.
“We have to save him. We have to do it,” Trump quoted the late soldier as saying before he rushed into combat.
Trump told the audience that McClintock came under intense mortar and rocket-propelled grenade attacks during the mission and was fatally wounded while trying to help evacuate the injured serviceman.
The president described McClintock as an “American hero” and acknowledged the presence of his family members at the ceremony, including his mother Joyce, widow Ally and son Declan.
“So Joyce and Ally and Declan, we salute Sergeant Matthew McClintock as an American hero,” Trump said.
The Memorial Day ceremony brought together senior military officials, veterans and Gold Star families to honor American troops who lost their lives in conflicts stretching from the Revolutionary War to modern military operations overseas.
Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also attended the event, alongside members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Trump used the occasion to emphasize what he described as the enduring courage of American service members throughout the nation’s history.
“Before we celebrate the triumph, we pay the tribute,” he said. “Before we crown the victory, we count the cost.”
The ceremony included prayers, military honors, patriotic musical performances and the traditional playing of taps as attendees stood in silence in memory of the fallen…..See More
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