REVERSE COURSE

Trump Emerges From Day of Twitter Silence to Take Credit for Wreath Ceremony Reversal

The Army secretary also took credit for reversing a decision to cancel a wreath laying ceremony at Arlington cemetery.

After staying off his favorite social media platform for most of the day on Tuesday, President Trump tweeted late in the afternoon that he had ordered a wreath laying ceremony to go ahead. The annual Wreaths Across America event, in which volunteers lay wreaths on gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery, was initially canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. But, after an outcry, the Army reversed course. “The Secretary of the Army has directed Arlington National Cemetery to safely host Wreaths Across America,” a statement posted to the cemetery’s website Tuesday read. Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy tweeted that he directed the event to go ahead “at our nation’s most hallowed ground.” Trump subsequently tweeted that he had directed the event to go ahead.

While tens of thousands of people usually attend the December ceremony, Wreaths Across America director Karen Worcester told WTOP that they expected a lower attendance this year.