Trump’s Recent Comments Cause Uproar
Trump recently caused uproar after he made comments comparing the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the Medal of Honor.
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The Medal of Freedom is awarded to civilians, while the Medal of Honor is given to soldiers who have been wounded while in combat.
Trump Touts the Medal of Freedom
These statements were made by Trump during an event held at the former president’s Bedminster club. Miriam Adelson, a GOP mega-donor who received the Medal of Freedom in 2018, was in attendance.
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Trump discussed her receiving this civilian honor, stating, “That’s the highest award you can get as a civilian. It’s the equivalent of the Congressional Medal of Honor, but civilian version.”
A Better Honor?
Trump further stated that the civilian Medal of Freedom was better than the Medal of Honor.
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“It’s actually much better, because everyone who gets the congressional Medal of Honor, that’s soldiers, they’re either in very bad shape because they’ve been hit so many times by bullets, or they’re dead. She gets it, and she’s a healthy, beautiful woman,” he said, adding, “And they’re rated equal.”
Trump Faces Massive Criticism
After he made these comments, the former president found himself on the receiving end of a massive amount of criticism from civilians and veterans alike.
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This isn’t the first time that Trump has reportedly made disparaging remarks about soldiers and veterans.
Veterans Blast Trump
Now, the VFW, one of the U.S.’s oldest and largest veteran organizations, has publicly condemned Trump’s most recent remarks.
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VFW’s National Commander, Al Lipphardt, said, “These asinine comments not only diminish the significance of our nation’s highest award for valor, but also crassly characterized the sacrifices of those who have risked their lives above and beyond the call of duty.”
Defending the Medal of Honor and Veterans
Lipphardt further defended veterans and the Medal of Honor.
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He stated, “When a candidate to serve as commander-in-chief so brazenly dismisses the valor and reverence symbolized by the Medal of Honor, I question whether they would discharge their responsibilities with the seriousness and discernment necessary.”
A Disappointing Comment
Lipphardt concluded that these comments by Trump are even more disappointing considering Trump has been president in the past.
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“It is even more disappointing when these comments come from a man who already served in this noble office and frankly should already know better,” Lipphardt explained.
The VFW vs Trump
This isn’t the first time the VFW has publicly criticized Trump.
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After Trump stated that U.S. service members simply had “headaches” after they were hurt during Iranian airstrikes in 2020, the VFW told Trump he needed to apologize.
Demanding an Apology
The organization explained that these servicemembers had suffered from real injuries — and the then-president needed to recognize how his statements were disrespectful.
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“[Traumatic brain injury] is a serious injury and one that cannot be taken lightly,” the organization stated in 2020. “The VFW expects an apology from the president to our service men and women for his misguided remarks.”
Attacking Walz
These comments seemingly disparaging the Medal of Honor and its recipients come as the Trump campaign has made an effort to attack Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s service record.
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The Trump campaign has insisted that Walz — who served as an Army National Guard member for two decades — incorrectly commented on whether he saw war or not.
Doubling Down on Comments
The Trump campaign has also refused to back down on Trump’s recent comments, stating that Trump didn’t say anything that was wrong.
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Corey Lewandowski, a senior adviser in the Trump campaign, stated that these comments were okay “because there are some people who don’t serve in our military but should still be recognized with the highest honor our country has to offer them.”