The Real Reason Joe Biden Says This At The End Of Every Speech
Analysis of President Joe Biden's speech at his Jan. 20, 2021 Inauguration ceremony all focused largely on the messages of unity Biden conveyed. Forbes' Carmine Gallo noted that the 46th President of the United States used the word "unity" itself eight times in his speech, beginning with his opening remarks that "the American story depends on... the most elusive of all things in a democracy. Unity." The Wall Street Journal highlighted another of Biden's calls to the country to "end this uncivil war that pits red against blue."
President Biden ended the momentous speech with the words "May God bless America and may God protect our troops. Thank you, America" (via The Washington Post). He has offered a similar message in previous speeches, including the one he gave at the Democratic Convention in August 2020, as well when he delivered a statement on Nov. 7, 2020 after he won the necessary electoral votes.
What is the possible significance behind this particular turn of phrase for President Biden, who, as is rare for an American President, has never served in the military himself? Keep reading to find out.
President Joe Biden's sign-off honors his son
So, what's the story behind the 46th president of the United States' frequent placement of "God bless our troops" at the end of each speech? President Joe Biden may have no record of military service, but his oldest son, Joseph "Beau" Biden did.
When the US Department of Veterans Affairs named Beau "#VeteranOfTheDay" in 2019, they noted he joined "in 2003 as a member of the Delaware Army National Guard" and "was awarded a Bronze Star for his service in Iraq." He went on to act as the attorney general of Delaware. In 2013, Beau was diagnosed with brain cancer. Despite undergoing multiple procedures over subsequent years, Beau died in 2015.
In his June 2015 eulogy for Beau, Barack Obama spoke the impact Beau's overseas service had on the whole Biden family. "His deployment was hard on...hard on Joe, hard on Jill. That's partly why Jill threw herself into her work with military families," Obama said. "That's how you know when Joe thunders 'may God protect our troops' in every speech... he means it so deeply." Much like Dr. Jill Biden's children's book Don't Forget, God Bless Our Troops, President Biden's sign-off at the end of every speech sure seems like a special way to pay tribute to his son's memory.