President Donald Trump celebrated the U.S. Army’s 251st birthday in addition to his own birthday on Sunday, praising the “courage and sacrifice of our soldiers” and remembering some of his policies helping those who serve.
The Army, which was formed on June 14, 1775, under the command of General George Washington, has rightfully earned its place as “the oldest branch of the most storied and feared fighting force the world has ever known,” Trump said in a statement.
“For over two and a half centuries, the courage and sacrifice of our soldiers have defended our homeland and kept our Nation sovereign, strong, and free in the blessings of liberty,” the president wrote. “Our Republic salutes these heroes, and on this glorious anniversary, we stand as one people, bound by gratitude, humbled by their sacrifices, and unwavering in our commitment to the brave men and women who will always defend her.”
Sunday was also Trump’s 80th birthday, and Flag Day. The president celebrated the day by attending UFC Freedom 250, held on the White House lawn.
Trump’s statement recognizing the Army’s birthday went on to go over the branch’s history, from the Second Continental Congress authorizing its creation to the modern wars fought in the Middle East.
“In the 251 years since its inception, the Army has answered every call history has placed before it: preserving the Union through the perils of civil war, liberating the long-suffering people of Cuba during the Spanish-American War, and crossing vast oceans to deliver absolute victory in two World Wars,” the president wrote. “Our warfighters stood firm in the frozen hills of Korea, endured the unforgiving jungles of Vietnam, and answered the call to defend freedom in the scorching deserts of Kuwait and Iraq and in the rugged mountains of Afghanistan.”
“Today, our Army remains on the front lines in the fight to preserve America’s peace, prosperity, and security,” Trump added, before calling on Americans to “stand up” for the Army just as they have “always fought for us.”
Trump continued on to call on Americans to support the Army by backing investments and upgrades backed by his administration:
Just as the Army has always fought for us, we must now stand up for them. My Administration has proposed historic investments to rebuild our Army like never before and ensure our warfighters have every tool at their disposal. Combined with hundreds of billions of dollars in Army investments already delivered through the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, we are upgrading critical Army infrastructure, rapidly delivering advanced weapons systems to our Soldiers, increasing the lethality of our joint force, expanding our defense industrial base, and bolstering our Nation’s strategic deterrence through an unwavering America First agenda.
Naming acts like delivering a $1,776 bonus to more than 1.5 million service members last Christmas and purging the “anti-American DEI ideologies that took root in our ranks,” Trump said that his leadership has led to a historic recruiting surge, with the Army reaching its goals months ahead of schedule for this year:
Our soldiers and their families deserve the full support of a grateful Nation, and last Christmas, I was proud to deliver a Warrior Dividend to more than 1.5 million Service Members, a tax-free $1,776 bonus in honor of the year our Nation was born and a fitting recognition of the sacrifice and valor these Americans demonstrate every day in defense of our freedoms and way of life. Under my leadership, we have also purged the anti-American DEI ideologies that took root in our ranks, restored the warrior ethos to its rightful place at the center of military culture, and rebuilt our Army on the foundation it has always thrived upon: merit, grit, and strength. Today, our soldiers are once again united by a commitment to this Nation’s founding principles, the American people’s shared and glorious history, and an unbreakable devotion to duty. The results speak for themselves: Recruiting has surged to historic levels, with the Army reaching its 2026 goals 4 months ahead of schedule.
“As we celebrate 250 glorious years of American Independence, we greet the arrival of a new Golden Age for the United States Army,” Trump concluded his birthday message to U.S. soldiers. “We commit to always standing with our incredible Service Members, their proud families, and the loved ones who support them. Above all, we honor every soldier who has ever answered the call to serve and reaffirm the timeless pledge that has guided generations: This We’ll Defend.”
In a post on its official X page, the Army wrote, “251 years of defending America’s freedom, and we’re just getting started.”
“From the first musket shots in 1775 to the high-tech, multi-domain force of today, our Soldiers have always been, and always will be, ready to answer the call,” the post read:
In honor of the special milestone, Army leadership “led a massive formation of Soldiers, civilians, and international partners” for a run at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington, Virginia:
Olivia Rondeau is a politics reporter for Breitbart News based in Washington, DC. Find her on X/Twitter and Instagram.
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