President Donald Trump committed a significant historical error during a speech at Fort Bragg on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, incorrectly claiming that various nations had recently celebrated the end of World War I, while falsely stating that without American involvement, citizens would be speaking German and Japanese today.
During his address at the North Carolina military installation near Fayetteville, Trump asserted that the United States did not participate in recent World War I commemorations despite being the nation that won the conflict.
The president added that citizens might also be speaking Japanese, claiming America won the war and would celebrate on Saturday. However, this assertion contains a fundamental historical inaccuracy, as Japan was aligned with the Allied forces during World War I, fighting alongside the United States, France, Great Britain, Russia, and Italy against the Central Powers of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire.
Trump appeared to confuse World War I with World War II, as recent commemorations have focused on VE Day celebrations marking the end of the Second World War. The end of World War I is traditionally commemorated on Armistice Day each November 11, not during recent celebrations that Trump referenced in his remarks.
The speech took place at Fort Bragg, which serves as headquarters for the military’s Special Operations Command and houses elite units including the Green Berets and Rangers. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll attended the event alongside active-duty personnel and their families.
Trump’s appearance at Fort Bragg occurred amid ongoing civil unrest in Los Angeles, where protesters have clashed with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents over the president’s comprehensive deportation order. The timing of the speech coincided with preparations for Saturday’s parade in Washington, D.C., celebrating both the Army’s 250th anniversary and Trump’s 79th birthday on June 14.
City officials have installed 18 miles of anti-scale fencing and deployed multiple drones for the Saturday parade, despite the capital’s usual no-fly zone restrictions for such devices. Matt McCool from the Secret Service’s Washington Field Office indicated authorities are preparing for hundreds of thousands of spectators, with military officials estimating approximately 200,000 participants will attend the festivities.
Security preparations include 175 magnetometers at checkpoints for both daytime events and the evening parade. McCool noted that if one million attendees arrive, significant waiting lines would result. Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith warned of major traffic impacts and recommended early arrival, suggesting Metro transportation as an alternative to driving.
The celebration has received designation as a National Special Security Event, placing it under the same stringent security protocols reserved for presidential inaugurations or state funerals. This classification triggers heightened coordination between local law enforcement, the FBI, Capitol Police, and the National Guard, with the Secret Service leading security operations.
Authorities remain vigilant about immigration-related demonstrations, similar to those occurring in Los Angeles, potentially spreading to the nation’s capital. McCool emphasized that officials are monitoring the situation in California and have comprehensive plans ready to manage any civil unrest that might emerge during the Washington celebrations.
The Fort Bragg speech represents the latest in a series of public appearances where Trump has made historical misstatements while addressing military audiences. The error occurred during what was intended to be a celebration of American military heritage, leading up to the Army’s milestone anniversary celebration in the nation’s capital.
