Washington, D.C
The NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT, America’s National Night of Remembrance, from Washington, D.C. Sunday, May 25
Hosted by Joe Mantegna and Gary Sinise with Performances by
Robert Patrick, Gretchen Mol, Blair Underwood, Loren Allred, Scotty Hasting,
Yolanda Adams, Mary McCormack, Angel Blue and Maestro Jack Everly
conducting the National Symphony Orchestra
WASHINGTON, May 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — On Sunday, May 25, the NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT airs live from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol for its 36th annual broadcast. This beloved tradition honors the courage, sacrifice and service of our military men and women, their families, and pays tribute to all those who have given their lives in defense of our nation. The evening will feature powerful storytelling, musical salutes and poignant moments of remembrance. Hosting the concert are Tony Award-winner Joe Mantegna and Emmy Award-winner Gary Sinise – both steadfast champions of veterans’ causes and active service members.
“This concert is a powerful reminder of what Memorial Day truly represents,” said co-host Joe Mantegna. “It offers comfort, connection, and community for families who have lost loved ones in service to our country, honoring their sacrifice with the dignity and gratitude they deserve.”
“Joe and I are honored to host this annual tribute to our American heroes – past and present – that salutes the courage and commitment of those who have served and those who continue to serve,” continued co-host Gary Sinise. “The freedoms we enjoy are made possible by the brave men and women who wear the uniform.”
The NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT airs live on Sunday, May 25, 2025, from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m. E.T. on PBS, as well as to our troops serving around the world on American Forces Network. The concert will also be streaming on YouTube and www.pbs.org/national-memorial-day-concert and available as Video on Demand, May 25 to June 8, 2025.
The 2025 NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT will feature the following segments:
250th Anniversary Army, Navy and Marine Corps
The concert will salute the 250th anniversary of the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps to honor these service branches who have defended America even before it was a nation.
World War II 80th Anniversary – featuring acclaimed actor Robert Patrick (TULSA KING, 1923, PEACEMAKER).
A salute to the millions of Americans who served the nation in World War II in uniform and on the home front. On the 80th anniversary of the end of the war, the concert will share the story of U.S. Marine Veteran Don Graves, who fought as a flamethrower at the bloody 36-day Battle of Iwo Jima, a volcanic island of strategic importance to the invasion of Japan and the end of the war. Members of the Greatest Generation will be honored on stage.
Gold Star Families Tribute – with SAG Award-winning actress Gretchen Mol (BOARDWALK EMPIRE, MILLERS IN MARRIAGE).
The concert will remember and honor our fallen heroes and Gold Star Families with the poignant and inspiring story of Gold Star Wife and mother of two, Krista Simpson Anderson, whose beloved Green Beret husband was killed in May of 2013 in Afghanistan when their sons were toddlers.
Vietnam War Dustoff Crews – with Emmy/Grammy Award-winning and Tony Award-nominated actor Blair Underwood (QUANTICO, LONGLEGS, L.A. LAW).
The concert will honor the courageous Army Air Ambulance Units of the Vietnam War with the story of helicopter pilot Col. Otis Evans, (Ret.). At great risk and danger under enemy fire, Evans and his crew rescued wounded troops in remote locations. Commonly called “Dustoff,” their radio call sign, it is estimated that these life-saving air medevac units evacuated 900,000 casualties during the war.
This inspiring night of remembrance will also feature performances by: country music star and wounded Army combat veteran Scotty Hasting; multi-platinum selling singer, songwriter and recording artist Loren Allred (THE GREATEST SHOWMAN); four-time Grammy-Award Award-winning Gospel music legend Yolanda Adams; Tony Award-nominated star of stage and screen Mary McCormack (HEELS); two-time Grammy Award-winning soprano Angel Blue (AIDA at the Metropolitan Opera); and the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of top pops conductor Jack Everly.
In tribute to all the members of our armed forces, the annual audience favorite Salute to Services features the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Service Color Teams. Also participating are members from The U.S. Army Herald Trumpets, The U.S. Army Chorus, The Soldiers’ Chorus of the U.S. Army Field Band, The U.S. Navy Band Sea Chanters, vocalists from the Quantico Marine Band, The U.S. Air Force Singing Sergeants, and the Armed Forces Color Guard provided by the Military District of Washington, D.C.
The NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT is pleased to welcome back Lockheed Martin as lead corporate sponsor. Lockheed Martin’s commitment to the military and veteran community, integral to the center of everything it does, begins with the veterans, National Guard and Reservists, and military spouses that comprise more than one-fifth of its 121,000 employees. Lockheed Martin’s charitable investments are made to causes that support service members, veterans, and their families. Lockheed Martin always works to make a positive impact on the lives of those who have served our nation, never forgetting those who made the ultimate sacrifice to secure our freedoms.
The NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT welcomes back the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans as lead underwriter, a nonprofit educational organization honoring the achievements of outstanding leaders by bestowing upon them the prestigious Horatio Alger Award and lifetime membership in the Association. to more than 37,000 deserving students. Through the Association, Horatio Alger Members and supporters ensure the American Dream for future generations by sponsoring one of the nation’s largest privately-funded, need-based scholarship programs. Over the past 40 years, more than $265 million has been awarded in undergraduate, graduate, military veteran and career and technical education scholarships to more than 37,000 deserving students. In addition to financial assistance, the Association provides comprehensive support services to its Scholars enabling them to succeed academically, personally, and professionally.
The concert is also made possible by grants from: the National Park Service, the Department of the Army, General Dynamics, 84 Lumber, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, PBS and public television stations nationwide. Air travel is provided by American Airlines.
The program is a co-production of Michael Colbert of Capital Concerts and WETA, Washington, D.C.
For images and additional information, visit PBS Pressroom at www.pbs.org/pressroom
Visit the program website at http://www.pbs.org/national-memorial-day-concert/home/
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SOURCE Capital Concerts
TNND — A new report from the House Oversight Committee alleges former D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith pressured officers to manipulate crime data. The committee released the report on Sunday, less than a week after Smith announced she was stepping down.
You’re lulling people into this false sense of security. They might go places they wouldn’t ordinarily go. They might do things they wouldn’t ordinarily do,” said Betsy Brantner Smith, spokesperson for the National Police Association.
Included in the report were transcribed interviews with the commanders of all seven D.C. patrol districts and the former commander currently on suspended leave. One was asked, “Over the last few years, has there been any internal pressure to simply bring down crime statistics?” Their response, “Yes, I mean extremethere’s always been pressure to keep crime down, but the focus on statistics… has come in with this current administration.”
Every single person who lives, works, or visits the District of Columbia deserves a safe city, yet it’s now clear the American people were deliberately kept in the dark about the true crime rates in our nation’s capital,” House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-KY) said in a statement.
“They are going to have to regain the public trust. Again, this is a huge integrity issue,” Brantner Smith said.
Among the reports findings, Smith’s alleged pressured campaign against staff led to inaccurate crime data. Smith punished or removed officers for reporting accurate crime numbers. Smith fostered a toxic culture and President Trump’s federal law enforcement surge in D.C. is working.
While Smith has not yet publicly responded to the report, she’s previously denied allegations of manipulating crime data, saying the investigation did not play a factor into her decision to step down at the end of the year.
My decision was not factored into anything with respect to, other than the fact that it’s time. I’ve had 28 years in law enforcement. I’ve had some time to think with my family,” Smith said earlier this month.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser also released a statement Monday, writing in part that “the interim report betrays its bias from the outset, admitting that it was rushed to release.”
According to crime stats from the Metropolitan Police Department, since the federal law enforcement surge started in August, total violent crime is down 26%. Homicides are down 12% and carjackings 37%.
The first candle lit on the National Menorah near the White House in Washington, D.C., marked the first night of Hanukkah — and solemnly honored victims of the Bondi Beach shooting.
The National Menorah Lighting was held Sunday night, hours after gunmen opened fire on a crowd celebrating the beginning of Hanukkah at Australia’s iconic Bondi Beach. Fifteen people were killed, including a 10-year-old girl, a rabbi and a Holocaust survivor, and over three dozen others were being treated at hospitals.
Authorities in Australia said it was a terrorist attack targeting Jewish people.
Organizers behind the National Menorah Lighting said the news from Australia, along with the bitter cold, forced them to consider whether or not to hold the annual event.
After consulting with local law enforcement, National Menorah Lighting organizers decided to hold the event and honor the victims.
Several D.C.-area police departments issued statements confirming there are no known threats to local communities, but are monitoring just in case.
Montgomery County Executive Mark Elrich condemned the attack and said community safety is a priority.
“Acts of antisemitism, especially those meant to intimidate families and communities during moments of gathering and celebration, must be called out clearly and condemned without hesitation,” Elrich said. “I have heard directly from members of Montgomery County’s Jewish community who are shaken and concerned, and I want them to know that their safety is a priority.”
WASHINGTON (7News) — Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Chief Pamela Smith is facing yet another scathing report accusing her of manipulating crime data in the city.
The 22-page document from the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform comes less than a week after a separate draft report from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and days after Chief Smith turned in her resignation.
The main difference between the Congressional report and the DOJ report is that this new one, released on December 14, contains transcribed interviews directly with commanders from all seven MPD patrol districts.
RELATED | DC Police settles with former employee over claims that crime numbers were manipulated
The testimony reveals how Chief Smith chastised and, in some cases, publicly humiliated staff in crime briefings.
“The Committee’s investigation heard consistent testimony about frustration and exhaustion among MPD commanders and the manifestation of a culture of fear, intimidation, threats, and retaliation by Chief Smith. Often, these manifestations were triggered whenever the Chief was presented with what she considers ‘bad news,’ particularly when that news pertained to any rise in public crime statistics. Chief Smith, according to testimonies, regularly took action against her subordinates who failed to aid in the preservation of her public image,” the report states on page two.
RELATED | Trump announces probe into DC police for inflating crime stats amid safety claims
The committee launched the investigation in August when whistleblowers came forward with concerns about data manipulation.
One line of questioning in the report states:
Question: Over the last few years, has there been any internal pressure to simply bring down crime statistics?
Answer: Yes, I mean extreme… there’s always been pressure to keep crime down, but the focus on statistics… has come in with this current administration or regime, and you know, that has manifested publicly.
7News reached out to Mayor Bowser’s Office for a comment in response to the report. A spokesperson provided the following statement:
The men and women of the Metropolitan Police Department run towards danger every day to reduce homicides, carjackings, armed robberies, sexual assaults, and more. The precipitous decline in crime in our city is attributable to their hard work and dedication and Chief Smith’s leadership.
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I thank Chief Smith for her commitment to the safety of D.C. residents and for holding the Metropolitan Police Department to an exacting standard, and I expect no less from our next Chief of Police.
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