Remarks by President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at Military Mother's Day Event

THE PRESIDENT: Hello. Hi, how are you. What a friendly, beautiful group. You can even sit down, right? Well, thank you, and we love you very much, very very special people. Thank you very much for being here. So bright and festive. It's an honor to welcome to the White House active duty service members, military spouses [Cheering], a lot of spouses, and mothers of our men and women in uniform.

I especially want to thank the spouses of the military aides, and I'm dealing with them all the time, and they're incredible, incredible people, right? [Applause] Who support me every hour of the day. Rachel, Gretchen, Jessica, Kelly, stand up please. Stand up. Incredible people, thank you very much. Great job. Really a great job you do. It's not easy, right? A lot of work. We appreciate it very much. Thank you. And I have to say to all of the folks that work almost as hard -- can they work harder -- I guess maybe, little bit, right? We want to thank you, believe me. We want to thank you.

To all of the military families here today, thank you for your daily service to your families, and equally as important to our great, great nation -- and we have a great nation, it's getting stronger every day. [Applause]

And I can say this to all of the military folks, our nation is in fact getting stronger and stronger every day. New equipment is coming in. You've seen what's happening. Your spouses are talking about, it everybody's talking about it, but you get the first glimpse. But we are getting very, very strong again, and we were on the depleted side, to put it mildly, and we're not going to be depleted for a very long, period.

I can tell you, so our new military budget -- we broke it, we broke it, we broke open the budget, we're doing what we have to do, so thank you very much. [Applause] As commander-in-chief of the United States, my supreme duty is to protect our citizens, and that means supporting our service men and women. That obligation begins the first day they put on the uniform and continues every day after. When they return to civilian life as veterans -- and we are taking great care of our veterans, we've really stepped it up [Applause] -- big difference. I will make sure that our nation always takes care of our brave sailors, soldiers, airmen, Marines, and the members of the Coast Guard.

Your devotion keeps us very, very safe I'll also make sure that our veterans receive -- and this has been the thing that I've been working on just about as hard as anything -- receive that first-class benefit that they haven't. It's been very, very bad what has been happening for years, and years and years at the VA, and you're seeing and you're hearing what's going on now. Choice, we just signed and, you're going to be very, very happy. We're very proud of that program. David is doing a great job and all of the folks over there or doing a really terrific job. So I think you're going to be very, very proud of that.

To every military service member mother and spouse here today, I want you to know that you have my complete and total support. The White House, this administration and this government stands fully behind you. As we celebrate Mother's Day this weekend -- I had a great mother, she's looking down right now. I have a great mother. Mary. This is one of the many opportunities for us to thank the incredible military mothers who love and care for our nation's heroes, and they are heroes, so thank you very much. And the mothers our heroes too, thank you very much. [Applause]

That is your sacrifice that protects our nation, safeguards our liberties, and makes you a beautiful American flag always waves proudly above our very glorious land. I see you shaking your head, yes, yes, yes. That's different than we watch on television every once in a while, that reaction, right? I like your reaction. So do we all. [Laughter] But it's now my pleasure to introduce my truly incredible wife. She has become so popular, it's true. [Applause, Laughter]

It's true, In fact, I'm going to have to ask her, how are you doing this but our first lady, they had a poll that came out she went through it like a rocket ship. I said how do you do this, and that's only because people have really gotten to know her. She's an incredible woman. She's working so hard as your first lady, and I'm very honored to introduce Melania. Thank you. [Applause]

MRS. TRUMP: Thank You Mr. President. Welcome to the White House. Thank you all for being here today. I'm honored by your presence, especially as we celebrate National Military Appreciation Month and Mother's Day on Sunday. As everyone in this room knows, mother is a title that claims your heart and changes your life forever. In fact, it has been said that having a child means allowing your heart to walk around outside of your body. For the mothers of someone who has, or is, serving our country, this must be especially true.

As we all know, I too am a mother. However I have no idea what kind of different challenges each of you must face as the parent of a soldier. And while you stand with many other parents, so strong and so proud, I am sure that you sometimes march on this journey alone while your sons and daughters are away serving so selflessly. Having a community share even some of that burden must make all the difference in the world.

I want to know, I want you to know, you are among that community today, and we are all so proud to be part of it with you. I also want to say thank you for all that you do. For your selflessness, and for your own sacrifice on behalf of our country. Let today's celebration with this community of strong and selfless moms be a first step in building relationships, and in.. in... and in your knowing that my husband and I, along with the vice president and Mrs. Pence, and everyone here at the White House hold you close in our hearts and thoughts each and every day.

In honor of our bravest, we have the United States Army tours [ph] and members of the Marine Band performing for us today. Enjoy it, they're incredible. [Applause] In closing, I want to say God bless our troops, and the courageous men and women who also your sons and daughters. And god bless you, their mothers for all that you sacrifice so that your children may keep this country safe. Have a happy Mother's Day on Sunday. God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America. [Applause]

THE PRESIDENT: We love you all. Have a great time at the White House, and Sunday is coming up. All Sunday's are special, but this Sunday is very special. So have a great day. Thank you, thank you everybody. Thank you. [Applause]