Donald Trump will spend part of Memorial Day weekend saluting the nation’s veterans at the Rolling Thunder motorcycle rally.
Trump is set to speak at the event in Washington, D.C., on Sunday afternoon, Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks said. The annual event, which has been held for nearly 30 years, is a tribute to prisoners of war and Americans missing in action.
Trump frequently touts his connections to and advocacy for retired service members, but he seemed to disparage some prisoners of war when he suggested last year that Sen. John McCain, a storied POW from the Vietnam War, was not a hero. And his ties to veterans is under new scrutiny this week after delays surfaced in charity payments that he promised to veterans’ groups.
“I am doing it in honor of the great bikers who have been totally supportive of my campaign and now I want to be supportive of them,” Trump said in a statement. “I look forward to it!”
The weekend will also feature dedication ceremonies, according to the event’s website.
Trump last visited Washington earlier this month, when he had closely observed meetings with Republican leadership on Capitol Hill.