Donald Trump was caught bobbing jovially and mouthing along to the US national anthem at the otherwise sombre Memorial Day ceremony.

The annual event was held at Arlington Ceremony near Washington DC, to commemorate fallen members of the American armed forces.

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It tends to be a time for quiet reflection and remembrance.


But the president seems not to have got that message – because he was seen jauntily bouncing while the anthem was playing.

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Meanwhile the joint chiefs of staff, General Joseph Dunford and Defence Secretary James Mattis, kept still and appeared respectful.

Then Trump appeared to get really bored and fidgety, giving the anthem his best ‘singing in the shower’ rendition.



Naturally, people weren’t too impressed.

Many said he was behaving like a toddler.

As trump bops his way during a solemn ceremony, singing and making an idiot out of himself, I am embarrassed for this country. Beyond sad. — Howard resist Trump (@Happyspal) May 29, 2017

The Orange Piece of Shit looked like everyone's drunk senile old uncle singing the anthem at Arlington. Trump is national embarrassment ?? — PuffPuff (@PuffingPassing) May 29, 2017

Trump "paying respect" at Arlington: All he has to do is stand still, not look foolish #ThePresidentsBrainIsMissing pic.twitter.com/Hfp3tmvQWC — Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) May 29, 2017

Others brought up the fact that Trump dodged the draft five times when he was younger – four times for university, and once because he said he had ‘bone spurs’ on his heels.

Trump just barely made it to Arlington for today's remembrance to honor our war dead. Bone spurs in his heels. — George Robbins (@grobbnz) May 29, 2017

Not since dodging the draft have you so shown your dedication to those who serve. https://t.co/0ewWoZzALC — David Corn (@DavidCornDC) May 29, 2017

@DavidCornDC Bone spurs denied Trump the chance to reveal his heroism, but at least he got to bop around like a two-year-old with ADD at Arlington. — JohnCammo (@JohnCammo) May 29, 2017

@stopthenutjob @cheryltaylor204 It saddens me as a Vietnam Veteran to have Trump at Arlington National Cemetery trying to honor those who have fallen for American Values — Richard Adkins (@adkins381) May 29, 2017

And many remembered what the president had said about war veterans during the election campaign.

In July 2015, Trump hit out at Republican John McCain, who was captured, detained as a prisoner of war and tortured while serving in Vietnam.

‘He’s not a war hero – he’s a war hero because he was captured,’ Trump had said. ‘I like people that weren’t captured.’

Trump's speech today was just words he was told to read. Such an insult to our heroes.

Remember when he said the following. pic.twitter.com/uzwzP87rSv — David Hoffman (@atDavidHoffman) May 29, 2017

Then, last summer, he insulted Khizr and Ghazala Khan, whose son died in Iraq in 2004. Responding to their criticism of his proposed Muslim ban, Trump suggested that Ghazala Khan hadn’t spoken out on stage herself because, as a Muslim woman, ‘she wasn’t allowed to have anything to say’.

The Khans are a ‘Gold Star’ family, meaning their family member died in combat. In his speech at Arlington, Trump paid tribute to Gold Star families – but an apology to the Khans was conspicuously absent.

As Trump says “To every Gold Star family who honors us with your presence” at Arlington—can’t help but think of his feud w/ the Khan family — Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) May 29, 2017

Trump used his platform to denigrate a gold star family. Today at Arlington his words do not ring true. The Khan family deserves an apology. — Lorilye (@DaisyGirlUSA) May 29, 2017

Trump is speaking at Arlington. He doesn't speak for me. I am a gold star family and his words mean nothing to me. He is clueless!!! — CMG (@cmngtgroup) May 29, 2017

Addressing Gold Star families in his speech, Trump said of the lost service members: ‘To all Gold Star families, Trump said of their lost service members: “They each had their own names, their own stories, their own beautiful dreams. But they were all angels sent to us by God and they all share one title in common and that is the title of hero, real heroes.’

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‘Though they were here only a brief time before God called them home, their legacy will endure forever,’ he added.

‘As we honour the brave warriors who gave their lives for ours, spending their last moments on this Earth in defense of this country and of its people, words cannot measure the depth of their devotion, the purity of their love or the totality of their courage.

‘We only hope that every day we can prove worthy not only of their sacrifice and service, but of the sacrifice made by the families and loved ones they left behind. Special, special people.’