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Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\tTrump says he would have liked to join the military (just not during Vietnam)<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t The commander in chief said he was "never a fan" of the U.S. military conflict in Vietnam.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n
Trump traveled to the southern coast of England Wednesday to pay respects to American service members and allies who helped rescue Europe from Nazi Germany. He sat in a VIP area between Queen Elizabeth II and the first lady during the program, which focused on a telling of events leading up to D-Day. Some 300 World War II veterans also attended the seaside ceremony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A chilly breeze blew off the English Channel as Trump arrived for the event, the first of two he is attending to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day when the Allied soldiers, sailors and airmen conducted an invasion that helped liberate Europe from Nazi Germany.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump joined in giving a standing ovation to a group of World War II vets who appeared on stage as the commemoration began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After the event, Trump visited with American World War II veterans who were among Allied troops on D-Day. He was to have lunch and meet briefly with German Chancellor Angela Merkel before departing for Ireland to meet with Prime Minister Leo Varadkar and stay at his golf course in the village of Doonbeg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
World War II re-enactors stand looking out to sea on Omaha Beach in Normandy, France, at dawn on Thursday, June 6, 2019 during commemorations of the 75th anniversary of D-Day. (Thibault Camus\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>Re-enactors stand at the shore of Omaha Beach at sunrise as part of events to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day on Omaha Beach in Vierville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France, Thursday, June 6, 2019. World leaders are gathered Thursday in France to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings. (Cedric Lecoz via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron and Brigitte Macron, watch a flyover during a ceremony to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day at the American Normandy cemetery, Thursday, June 6, 2019, in Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France. (Alex Brandon\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>First lady Melania Trump, President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron and Brigitte Macron, watch a flyover during a ceremony to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day at the American Normandy cemetery, Thursday, June 6, 2019, in Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France. (Alex Brandon\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron, talk to a World War II veteran during a ceremony to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day at the American Normandy cemetery, Thursday, June 6, 2019, in Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France. (Alex Brandon\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron greet veterans as they arrive to a ceremony to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day at The Normandy American Cemetery, Thursday, June 6, 2019, in Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France. (AP Photo\/Alex Brandon)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>U.S. President Donald Trump salutes to veterans prior to a ceremony to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day at the Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France, Thursday, June 6, 2019. World leaders are gathered Thursday in France to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings. (AP Photo\/Thibault Camus\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>U.S. World War II veteran Jacques Michienzi, center, stands up among other veterans during a ceremony to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day at the Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France, Thursday, June 6, 2019. World leaders are gathered Thursday in France to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings. (David Vincent\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>British Prime Minister Theresa May and French President Emmanuel Macron attend a Franco-British ceremony marking the 75th anniversary of D-Day landings at Ver-Sur-Mer, Normandy, Thursday, June 6, 2019.(Philippe Wojazer\/Pool via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron and Brigitte Macron, walk through The Normandy American Cemetery, following a ceremony to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day, Thursday, June 6, 2019, in Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France. (Alex Brandon\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>An honor guard marches on stage during a ceremony to mark the 75th Anniversary of D-Day, when the Allied soldiers, sailors and airmen conducted an invasion that helped liberate Europe from Nazi Germany, Wednesday, June 5, 2019, in Portsmouth, England. (Alex Brandon\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>A flyover trails colored smoke to conclude a ceremony to mark the 75th Anniversary of D-Day, when the Allied soldiers, sailors and airmen conducted an invasion that helped liberate Europe from Nazi Germany, Wednesday, June 5, 2019, in Portsmouth, England. (Alex Brandon\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>Britain’s Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II, President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos, from left, applaud as they watch a fly past at the end of an event to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day in Portsmouth, England Wednesday, June 5, 2019. World leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump are gathering Wednesday on the south coast of England to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings. (Matt Dunham\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>Queen Elizabeth II, President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos, from left, applaud as they watch a fly past at the end of an event to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day in Portsmouth, England, Wednesday, June 5, 2019. World leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump are gathering Wednesday on the south coast of England to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings. (Matt Dunham\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>A veteran wipes his eyes during a ceremony to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day, Wednesday, June 5, 2019, in Portsmouth, England. (Alex Brandon\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>D-Day veterans gather during a D-Day commemoration event at the Historical Dockyard in Portsmouth, southern England, Sunday June 2, 2019. There are many events over the coming days to mark the 75th anniversary of the landings by the Allied forces on Tuesday June 6, 1944, in Normandy, France, that became known as D-Day. (Andrew Matthews\/PA via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>Soldiers from the U.S. 75th Ranger Regiment, in period dress, climb the cliff of Pointe-du-Hoc in Cricqueville-en-Bessin, Normandy, France, Wednesday, June 5, 2019. During the American assault of Omaha and Utah beaches on June 6, 1944, U.S. Army Rangers scaled the 100-foot cliffs to seize German artillery pieces that could have fired on the American landing troops. (Thibault Camus\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>Rangers from the U.S. 75th Ranger Regiment, in period dress, hold the American flag after scaling the cliffs of Pointe-du-Hoc in Cricqueville-en-Bessin, Normandy, France, Wednesday, June 5, 2019. During the American assault of Omaha and Utah beaches on June 6, 1944, U.S. Army Rangers scaled the 100-foot cliffs to seize German artillery pieces that could have fired on the American landing troops. (Thibault Camus\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>WWII enthusiasts watch French and British parachutists jumping during a commemorative parachute jump over Sannerville, Normandy, Wednesday, June 5, 2019. Extensive commemorations are being held in the U.K. and France to honor the nearly 160,000 troops from Britain, the United States, Canada and other nations who landed in Normandy on June 6, 1944, in history’s biggest amphibious invasion. (Thibault Camus\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>Parachutists jump from C-47 transport planes in Carentan, Normandy, France, Wednesday, June 5, 2019. Approximately 200 parachutists participated in the jump over Normandy on Wednesday, replicating a jump made by U.S. soldiers on June 6, 1944, as a prelude to the seaborne invasions on D-Day. (Rafael Yaghobzadeh\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>Enthusiasts ride a jeep on the beach of Arromanches, Tuesday, June 4, 2019, in Normandy. Extensive commemorations are being held in the U.K. and France this week to honor the nearly 160,000 troops from Britain, the United States, Canada and other nations who landed in Normandy on June 6, 1944, in history’s biggest amphibious invasion. (Thibault Camus\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>In this June 6, 1944, file photo, provided by the U.S. Army Signal Corps, Gen. Dwight Eisenhower gives the order of the day, “Full Victory – Nothing Else” to paratroopers in England just before they board their planes to participate in the first assault in the invasion of the continent of Europe. (U.S. Army Signal Corps Photo via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>In this June 6, 1944, file photo, U.S. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, left, gives the order of the day to paratroopers in England prior to boarding their planes to participate in the first assault of the Normandy invasion. A dwindling number of D-Day veterans will be on hand in Normandy in June 2019, when international leaders gather to honor them on the invasion\u2019s 75th anniversary. (U.S. Army Signal Corps via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>In this June 6, 1944, file photo, members of an American landing unit help their comrades ashore during the Normandy invasion. The men reached the zone code-named Utah Beach, near Sainte- Mere-Eglise, on a life raft after their landing craft was hit and sunk by German coastal defenses. (Louis Weintraub\/Pool Photo via AP, File)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/a> <\/a> <\/a>