President Joe Biden is planning to visit the American cemetery outside Paris honoring World War I dead, contrasting with former President Donald Trump’s decision to skip a visit during a 2018 trip. Biden’s visit to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery and Memorial is part of a five-day trip to France to honor American veterans and also serves as a subtle criticism of Trump, who scrapped his 2018 trip to the cemetery and later faced backlash for disparaging US veterans.
During his trip to Paris for the centennial commemoration of the end of World War I, Trump cited weather and safety issues as reasons for not visiting the cemetery. However, there was no backup plan in place and Trump did not express any regret for missing the visit. Reports later surfaced that Trump had referred to the fallen US service members at Aisne-Marne in derogatory terms, but Trump vehemently denied these accusations.
Biden has used Trump’s comments on US veterans as part of his campaign strategy, emphasizing the importance of a commander in chief who cares about the well-being of service members. Biden’s campaign released an ad featuring veterans criticizing Trump’s lack of empathy for soldiers. The Biden team aims to differentiate the president from his predecessor by highlighting Biden’s commitment to defense and support for European allies, in contrast to Trump’s wavering stance on NATO.
Trump has raised doubts about continued support for NATO and has indicated a willingness to allow Russia more freedom in dealing with member countries that do not meet defense spending guidelines. In contrast, Biden reaffirmed his support for European allies during his visit to France, emphasizing the need to stand up to aggression abroad and at home. Biden also visited Pointe-du-Hoc, a site significant in D-Day history, to highlight the sacrifices made by American soldiers in protecting democracy.
The visit to Pointe-du-Hoc provided a poignant backdrop for Biden’s message of unity and strength in the face of adversity, echoing sentiments expressed by former President Ronald Reagan during a speech at the same location in 1984. Both Biden and Reagan emphasized the importance of defending freedom and democracy against tyrannical governments. Despite their shared history of honoring D-Day, Trump chose to focus on attacking Democrats during his visit to Normandy for the 75th anniversary commemorations.
