President Donald Trump is expected to visit Wilmington on Wednesday to declare Wilmington, NC an American World War II Heritage City, according to a White House official.

Wilmington will be the first World War II Heritage City in the country.

“During President Trump’s visit, he will meet with veterans, tour the Battleship North Carolina, and give remarks honoring the contributions of Wilmington to the U.S. victory in World War II. In March 2019, President Trump signed legislation directing the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to designate at least one city per year as an American World War II Heritage City,” according to the White House official.

This will be the President’s 12th visit to North Carolina.

“Built in 1937, Battleship North Carolina was first commissioned on April 9, 1941 and took part in every major naval offensive in the Pacific area of operation, and earned 15 battle stars. After the war, the ship was used as a training vessel and finally decommissioned in 1947. The Battleship North Carolina found a permanent place in Wilmington as a war memorial,” according to the announcement.

Our New Hanover County GOP party chairman Will Knecht says his office is working on plans for welcoming the president.

“We’re going to hopefully have a route that the motorcade will be traveling,” he said. “We’d love to have people line that route and get excited.”

“We’re so excited that the president would choose Wilmington as such an early stop post-convention,” Knecht said. “It really supports the importance that Wilmington and New Hanover County will have in the election this year, it really underscores that fact.”