President Donald Trump drew a surprised reaction from the crowd in North Dakota on Wednesday after making an unusual joke about awarding the nation’s highest military honor to himself and his two eldest sons. The remark came during his speech at the dedication of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora. Trump quickly clarified that he was joking, but the comment became one of the most talked-about moments from an event that was meant to celebrate the legacy of former President Theodore Roosevelt.
Donald Trump’s Medal of Honor joke
About an hour into his speech, Trump spoke about Theodore Roosevelt and his son Theodore Roosevelt Jr., who were among the rare father-son pairs to receive the Medal of Honor. He also mentioned General Arthur MacArthur and his son Douglas MacArthur, another father-son duo to earn the award.
Looking at his sons in the audience, Trump joked: “Except for Arthur and Douglas MacArthur … they’re the only father and son pair to receive our nation’s highest military award for courage above and beyond the call of duty. Now, as I see my two beautiful sons sitting there, I think I’m going to give one to myself, one to them, and we’ll have a threesome.”
The comment prompted audible reactions from the crowd. Trump immediately shifted direction and suggested giving the honor to just one of his sons instead.
“Ok, I’ll pick out one of the two. I’ll give them the Congressional Medal of Honor for something for their genius at hunting, and I’ll get one for taking on Russia, Russia, Russia, or something, and we’ll have a third pair now,” he said before adding: “I’m only kidding.”
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Donald Trump shifts from Roosevelt to politics
The joke was not the first time Trump mentioned the Medal of Honor that day. Earlier, during the library’s ribbon-cutting ceremony, he spoke about Theodore Roosevelt’s medal and said he had considered awarding one to himself.
“You know, I want to give one to myself, but they tell me, and I’m allowed to,” Trump said.
He then claimed his two eldest sons could not think of a reason why he should receive the award, which is given for extraordinary acts of bravery in combat. Much of Trump’s speech moved away from Theodore Roosevelt’s legacy and into familiar political territory.
He criticized former President Joe Biden, praised his own administration’s record, defended his border policies and made comments about NATO member Spain. He also shared several personal anecdotes while frequently moving between prepared remarks and off-the-cuff observations.
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According to The Independent, the event marked Trump’s visit to the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, a facility dedicated to the 26th U.S. president in Medora, North Dakota.
