President Donald Trump announced Thursday he wants to rename Veterans Day, a federal holiday on November 11, to “Victory Day for World War I” in a move to purportedly “start celebrating our victories again.”
Trump did not say whether he wants May 8 to become a federal holiday, like Veterans Day.
All federal holidays have been created by acts of Congress, but states are not required to adhere to them, according to the Congressional Research Service.
Veterans Day actually originated as a commemoration of the end of the fighting in World War I, which occurred on November 11, 1918. But even then, it was not put forth as a celebration of a US victory.
Congress originally passed a law in 1938 that November 11 would be Armistice Day, “a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace” and honoring veterans of World War I, according the US Department of Veterans Affairs.
