President Donald Trump will participate in a wreath laying ceremony and deliver remarks at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday as part of a Memorial Day observance.
The events are expected to begin at noon. Watch live in the player above.
Along with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, events include a national observance in the Memorial Amphitheater.
Memorial Day in the United States is officially about mourning fallen service members. But it has come to signal the unofficial start of summer and retail discounts. The first national observance was shortly after the American Civil War and was then called Decoration Day. Veterans decorated war graves with blooming flowers. But even in the 19th century, grave ceremonies were often followed by picnics and other leisure activities. The holiday evolved with the arrival of baseball, the five-day work week and summer vacation. In the mid-20th century, a small number of businesses began to open. Sales and traveling are now commonplace.
Monday’s observance comes as the United States and Iran appear to be closing in on a deal to end the war and open the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said Monday that negotiations are “proceeding nicely,” while reiterating his warning that fighting would resume if no deal is reached.
It is not clear when or how the deal might be finalized and when its various parts will take effect. Trump spoke with allies in the Middle East, including Israel, over the weekend.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
