In a solemn ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, President Biden delivered a heartfelt speech on Memorial Day, paying tribute to fallen heroes and emphasizing the importance of upholding the values they fought for. Standing among the marble gravestones, the President reflected on the words spoken 155 years ago by General James Garfield, who marked the nation’s first Memorial Day at the same location.
“What brought these men here? What high motive led them to…welcome death?” Biden said, quoting Garfield. He answered his own question, “Our nation’s life.”
The president, controversially, touted the nation’s legacy of freedom in the world, despite taking numerous actions that critics argue infringed on Americans rights and diminished liberty.
“[I’ve] always held faith in our country and all we could be. A citadel of liberty, a beacon of freedom,” he said.