Trump says shutdown will not keep him from Navy's 250th birthday celebration this weekend

President Donald Trump on Friday night announced that the government shutdown will not keep him from celebrating the Navy's 250th birthday on Sunday in Norfolk, Virginia, alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Naval Secretary John Phelan.

The Navy is hosting a "Titans of the Sea – A Salute to the Fleet," event, which is part of the events to mark the United States' 250th birthday next year. The Navy itself will turn 250 on Oct. 13.

Trump said first lady Melania Trump will also accompany him to the event, which will be held despite the shutdown that went into effect on Wednesday. The shutdown will extend through at least Monday after the Senate failed to advance a resolution on Friday that would have reopened the government.

"I am proud to announce that on Sunday, October 5th, I will be hosting a Salute to the Fleet in Norfolk, Virginia, to honor our brave men and women of the United States Navy," Trump posted on Truth Social. "Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, and the other Minority Radical Left Democrats tried their best, through the ridiculous Government Shutdown, to destroy this wonderful celebration of the U.S. Navy’s Birthday, and to stop our Military Servicemembers from celebrating American Naval History."

Trump said that he believes the "show must go on" because the Navy had been planning the event for months.

"Despite the Democrats’ incompetence, I refuse to let [the Navy] down as their Commander-in-Chief," Trump wrote. "This will be the largest Celebration in the History of the Navy. Thousands of our brave Active Duty Servicemembers and Military Families will be in attendance, and I look forward to this special day with all of them. See you on Sunday!"

The event is scheduled to take place at 3 p.m. Eastern.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.