President Trump paid stirring homage Thursday to the brave Allied fighters who “stood in the fires of hell” to help turn the tide of World War II, speaking at the edge of Omaha Beach in Normandy, France, where thousands of men stormed the shore 75 years ago in a relentless onslaught that was both a suicide mission and a historic triumph of good over evil.
The speech, in which Trump and the first lady joined leaders from Britain, Canada, France – and Germany – to pay homage to the troops who turned the tide of the war, capped a somber day and a string of events commemorating the legendary battle in which Allied soldiers and sailors overcame impossible odds and made unimaginable sacrifices.
But one moment, in particular, was very interesting!
D Day veteran Thomas Cuthbert, 93 told the President: ‘If it wasn’t for you, and if only I was 20 years younger,’ while gesturing to Melania, 49, who was standing next to him. The president replied: ‘You could handle it, there’s no question about it.’ The President spoke to Mr Cuthbert, who served at D Day, at a reception following the commemorations marking the 75th anniversary of the landings in Portsmouth.
Watch the moment below:
In May 2017, Mr Cuthbert was awarded the Legion D’Honneur for the part his part in the D-Day landings. At the time he was serving as a landing barge oiler anchored offshore from Utah and Omaha beaches.
Prince Charles served in the Royal Navy in the 1970s and finished his naval career as the commander of the minesweeper HMS Bronington.
The royal also spoke to Mr Cuthebert about his service, joking that he suffered from seasickness.
Referring to the conditions veterans had to suffer during the D-Day landings, Price Charles told Mr Cuthbert: “As they were saying the smell of the fuel and people being sick must have been terrible.
“I remember being in the navy and always being sick, and there was always someone who was never sick and would always appear with a mug of steaming soup.”
Nice joke sailor!
