President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation designating March 25 as a National Day of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy, drawing a direct line between the Greek Revolution of 1821 and the American founding of 1776.
The White House declaration, issued Tuesday to mark the 205th anniversary of Greek independence, honors what Mr. Trump described as the courage and resolve of the Greek people in throwing off despotic rule and reclaiming their place as the cradle of Western civilization.
"Long before our nation took up the torch of freedom 250 years ago, the miracle of self-governance first appeared in Greece," the proclamation states, noting that the spirit of Athenian democracy sustained the Greek people through centuries of foreign occupation before igniting the 1821 revolution.
The document draws an explicit parallel between the two nations. "Like Greece, the United States was born from the tradition of democratic self-governance," it reads, adding that both countries share the conviction that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are a sacred birthright.
Special mention is made of the Greek-American community, which the proclamation credits with enriching American life through entrepreneurship, faith and an enduring commitment to democratic values.
The declaration closes by framing Greece and the United States as allies bound by history and tested by shared struggle, with Mr. Trump invoking the spirit that "started in Athens and inspired our Founders in Philadelphia" as a beacon for both nations on either side of the Atlantic.