Joe Mantegna Issues Statement After Sudden Memorial Day Concert Hosting Change
Criminal Mindsstar Joe Mantegnahas co-hosted the National Memorial Day Concert on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., for nearly two decades and was scheduled to return this year. Unfortunately, he was unable to make it. Instead, Gary Sinise will be seen alongside West Wing actress Mary McCormack, who stepped in to fill the role at the last minute.
It was a stunning move that seemingly no one saw coming, and Mantegna's initial statement regarding the change in plans was vague.
Initially, he shared in a statement, "I truly wish I could be there in person this year but due to unforeseen circumstances, I need to remain in Los Angeles. I'm looking forward to joining the millions of Americans watching this Sunday's concert on PBS and continuing to do everything I can to support this important event for years to come."
On Memorial Day, Mantegna shared even more insight into his absence in a lengthy statement shared to Instagram. This time, a written message was posted with "America the Beautiful" playing in the background. He captioned it simply, "A note from Joe. 🇺🇸"
"For more than two decades, I've had the profound honor of hosting the National Memorial Day Concert, an experience that has meant more to me than words can properly express," Mantegna began. "Year after year, standing in our nation's capital and helping honor the courage, sacrifice, and service of our military heroes and their families has been one of the greatest privileges of my life."
The 78-year-old actor went on to say that he had "hoped to close this chapter" with one more year of hosting duties but unfortunately, that did not happen. Instead, he explained, "I could never allow myself to give anything less than my whole heart to something that deserves nothing short of that. As hard as it was to step away, I knew it was time to pass the baton."
While Mantegna was not in attendance this year, he was watching and made sure to compliment the show, calling it a "beautiful and moving broadcast."
The National Memorial Day Concert began in 1989. Each year, on the Sunday before the national holiday, it honors the lives of those who chose military service and their families. This year, the live PBS broadcast included Noah Wyle, Andy Grammer,Alan Jackson, Laura Osnes, and Mickey Guyton.
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This story was originally published May 25, 2026 at 3:33 PM.