Trump to Rename WWI & WWII Anniversaries as ‘Victory Day’

In a bold move stirring national and international reactions, U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to rename the anniversaries of World War I and World War II as “Victory Day,” signaling another effort to reshape American historical observances during his second term in office.

Trump made the declaration via his Truth Social platform on Thursday, stating that May 8 and November 11 — which mark the end of World War II and World War I respectively — should henceforth be recognized as “Victory Day” in the United States. His message emphasized a call for renewed patriotism and national pride.

“I am hereby renaming May 8th as Victory Day for World War II and November 11th as Victory Day for World War I,” Trump posted. “We won both wars. Nobody was close to us in terms of strength, bravery, or military brilliance. Yet, we never celebrate anything — that’s because we don’t have leaders who know how to do so.”



May 8, widely recognized across Europe as Victory in Europe (VE) Day, marks Germany’s formal surrender to the Allied forces in 1945. While this date is significant across the EU and former Soviet states (who celebrate it on May 9), it has never been a federal holiday in the U.S., despite being a key historical milestone.

Similarly, November 11 was originally celebrated as Armistice Day to mark the end of World War I in 1918. It was later renamed Veterans Day to honor all American military veterans. Trump’s proposal would essentially shift the narrative from remembrance to outright celebration of military victory.


The move has sparked debate among historians, veterans’ groups, and policymakers, with critics cautioning against conflating commemoration with triumphalism.

While Trump argues that the U.S. played the most decisive role in securing victories in both global conflicts, many experts highlight the critical contributions and immense sacrifices of allies such as the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union. Notably, the Soviet Union suffered over 20 million casualties in World War II — the highest of any nation.

“Renaming these solemn anniversaries diminishes the global and cooperative nature of the victory,” said Dr. Elena Morrison, a historian at Georgetown University. “Victory was shared, and so should be the memory.”


This is not the first time Trump has sought to alter U.S. public symbols and holidays. In his second term, he has also pushed to revert “Indigenous Peoples’ Day” back to “Columbus Day” and floated controversial proposals like renaming the “Gulf of Mexico” as the “Gulf of America.”

Critics argue these decisions reflect an ongoing culture war strategy to rally his base through nationalist rebranding. Supporters, however, see the move as a long-overdue assertion of American pride.

“We are going to start celebrating our victories again!” Trump affirmed in his post. “Many of our allies and friends already celebrate Victory Day — it’s time we do the same.”



As of May 2, no official executive order has been issued to formalize the proposed name changes. However, sources within the administration indicate that a draft order is being prepared, and discussions are ongoing about potential changes to school curricula and federal calendars.

The announcement comes amid a broader reelection strategy focused on military strength, cultural identity, and patriotic education — themes that have defined much of Trump’s political resurgence.

With the 2026 midterm elections approaching and America’s geopolitical influence under fresh scrutiny, Trump’s latest move may serve both as a historical revision effort and a campaign statement.