President Trump and Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper gathered with World War II veterans in Washington on Friday to mark the 75th anniversary of the Allied victory in Europe. The event was coordinated by the White House, according to a Pentagon spokesman, who said it was mostly conducted with participants six feet apart. The nonprofit group, which is dedicated to preserving history, was not involved and has partnered with the Defense Department only on prerecorded video projects featuring World War II veterans, according to Holly Rotondi, the executive director. “We take the safety of our World War II veterans very seriously,” she said. This story has been updated with a statement from Jonathan Hoffman, a Pentagon spokesman, that was provided after this story was published.

Source: Washington Post May 08, 2020 20:37 UTC