Veterans Day 2026 falls on Wednesday, November 11, and the centre of the national observance is Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, where President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are due to take part in the 73rd annual National Veterans Day Observance. According to the White House schedule published for the day, the president and first lady arrive at the cemetery in the morning, take part in the wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at 11am, and the president delivers Veterans Day remarks at 11.30am in the Memorial Amphitheater.
The 11am start is no accident. Veterans Day is observed every year on November 11, the anniversary of the armistice that ended fighting in the First World War at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918. Arlington’s own notice says the prelude begins at 10.30am, with the Coast Guard Band and the Air Force Singing Sergeants performing, before the wreath laying conducted by the US Army Military District of Washington.
A ceremony with limits this year
One detail is different in 2026. Arlington National Cemetery says attendance at the wreath laying itself is limited this year to official participants, while the observance inside the Memorial Amphitheater is free and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. The ceremony is also being livestreamed for those who cannot attend in person. The programme includes a parade of colours by veterans’ organisations and remarks from dignitaries.
A federal holiday across the country
Veterans Day is a federal holiday honouring everyone who has served in the United States Armed Forces, in wartime and in peacetime, living and deceased. Federal offices are closed, there is no regular US Postal Service delivery, and most banks and schools are closed for the day. Parades and ceremonies are taking place in cities and towns across the country, many organised with local veterans’ organisations.
The White House proclamation for this year’s observance notes that for more than 250 years, the liberties and freedoms of every American have been safeguarded by the men and women who have served in the Armed Forces. According to figures released by the Census Bureau on November 4, the United States had about 15.7 million military veterans in 2025, representing 5.9 percent of the civilian population aged 18 and over.
Related reading: Veterans Day Wednesday: Free Parks and the Arlington Wreath Change and Stephen Miller’s First Full Day as Chief of Staff.
