Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump made a brief, unannounced visit to the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial on the National Mall in recognition of the holiday honoring the civil rights icon.

Trump laid a wreath Monday morning at the foot of the memorial alongside Vice President Mike Pence before quickly returning to his motorcade.

"It's a great day. A beautiful day. Thank you for being here. Appreciate it," Trump told reporters as he stood before the large statue of King.

The President's visit to the memorial site -- which is overseen by the National Park Service -- came on the 31st day of the government shutdown, which has left the National Park Service unfunded.

The President began Martin Luther King Jr. Day by touting economic growth on Twitter and releasing a presidential proclamation for the holiday.

Today we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 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. #MLKDay https://t.co/pEaVpCB8M4 — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 21, 2019

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