Trump, Pence commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day with brief visit to national monument Trump spent a little over 90 seconds at the monument to pay his respects.

President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence made a brief visit to the Martin Luther King Jr. national monument in Washington, where they placed a wreath and then participated in a moment of silence for the civil rights leader.

The visit lasted a little more than 90 seconds and Trump briefly spoke to reporters who had gathered with them. It was windy and temperatures registered at 18 degrees.

"Good morning everybody. Great day, it's a beautiful day," Trump said. "Thank you everybody for being here. Appreciate it."

Trump faced criticism in 2018 for marking the holiday with a visit to his private golf course in Palm Beach, Florida.

Presidents in the past have typically used the national holiday to participate in community service or celebratory events honoring King's life.

Trump tweeted earlier in the day, honoring King "for standing up for the self-evident truth Americans hold so dear, that no matter what the color of our skin or the place of our birth, we are all created equal by God."