75th Anniversary of the White House Navy Mess, 2026

Proclamation 11034 of June 11, 2026

75th Anniversary of the White House Navy Mess,
2026

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

On June 11, 1951, President Harry S. Truman formally
established a unit of the United States Navy to provide
culinary services to the Commander in Chief and the
First Family. For 75 years, the elite service members
assigned to the Presidential Food Service have
demonstrated professional expertise, military
precision, and unwavering commitment to serving those
who hold our Nation's highest office.

The practice of utilizing Navy cooks in support of the
Commander in Chief began in 1880 when stewards were
assigned to prepare meals for President Rutherford B.
Hayes aboard the Presidential yacht, USS Despatch. This
tradition continued and evolved informally until the
Navy was officially tasked with the mission to provide
food service at the White House.

Service members selected for the Presidential Food
Service operate the White House Navy Mess, a full-
service executive dining room located in the West Wing
of the White House, serving the President, senior
Administration officials, and distinguished guests.
Their responsibilities also extend far beyond the Mess
itself, encompassing event catering, logistics, valet
services, and food preparation during Presidential
travel worldwide.

Since its inception, the Presidential Food Service has
received numerous Joint Meritorious Unit Awards, the
Navy Unit Commendation, and the Meritorious Unit
Commendation for outstanding performance in direct
support of the President of the United States. These
awards reflect the highest culinary standards,
attention to detail, and camaraderie of the top-tier
service members assigned to this prestigious, high-
level mission.

As we celebrate this historic milestone, the First Lady
joins me in saluting the world-class men and women in
the Presidential Food Service. For three quarters of a
century, the finest culinary specialists of America's
Armed Forces have been integral to White House
operations and have faithfully maintained a legacy that
reflects the same proud traditions of integrity,
excellence, and devotion to duty that have defined our
military for more than 250 years.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim June 11, 2026, as a
day commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the White
House Navy Mess and to celebrate the dedicated food
service professionals throughout our Armed Forces.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
eleventh day of June, in the year of our Lord two
thousand twenty-six, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and fiftieth.