Trump: I flew to Iraq. I was so brave. I wanted to give myself the Congressional Medal of Honor. I’ve given out so many to guys that are brave, they come in with their arms missing, legs missing . Someday I’m going to try. The fake news will say Trump wants to give himself the congressional medal

The Medal of Honor is not a “political toy” to be traded for applause or used as a punchline at a rally. It is the highest military decoration in the United States, and the gulf between a political flight to an airbase and the actions required to earn this medal is not just wide—it is absolute.

Here is the counter-story to the idea that a Commander-in-Chief—or anyone—should ever “test the law” to award themselves this honor.

Trump is the King of all Weasels! A snake lying in the tall grass to trap you.

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The Weight of the Medal: Why Valor Cannot Be Self-Appointed

I. The Definition of “Above and Beyond”

The Medal of Honor is not awarded for being “brave” in the general sense of doing a difficult job or traveling to a dangerous place. By law, it is reserved for those who distinguish themselves through “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty.”

• The Difference of Duty: When a President flies to a combat zone, they are surrounded by the most sophisticated security apparatus on Earth. This is a duty of the office.
• The Sacrifice of the Earner: Conversely, the men and women Trump mentions—the ones with “arms and legs missing”—received the medal because they looked at certain death and chose to sacrifice themselves for their comrades. They did not have a Secret Service detail; they had a choice to run or stay, and they stayed.

II. The Erosion of Sacred Symbols

If a President were to award themselves a Medal of Honor, the medal would immediately cease to mean what it has meant since the Civil War.

• From Valor to Vanity: The moment the medal becomes something a politician can “try for” or “test the law” to obtain, it is no longer a symbol of sacrifice. It becomes a badge of ego.
• The Veteran Perspective: As noted by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) following Trump’s previous comments comparing the Medal of Freedom to the Medal of Honor, such rhetoric is “asinine.” To suggest that a civilian or political action is “better” or “equal” to battlefield valor diminishes the 3,500 individuals who earned it through blood.

III. The Commander-in-Chief’s True Role

The President’s role is to be the steward of the medal, not its recipient.

• The Burden of the Signature: When a President signs a Medal of Honor citation, they are acknowledging a debt the nation can never fully repay. Many recipients, like Staff Sgt. Michael H. Ollis (whose case is currently under review in 2026), died shielding others from blasts.
• The Moral Authority: A leader who jokes about giving themselves the highest award for valor loses the moral authority to ask others to make that same sacrifice. You cannot lead the “bravest of the brave” if you treat their ultimate sacrifice as a “stretch” or a “game.”

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The Reality of the Honor

The Medal of Honor is the only US military award that is presented by the President in the name of Congress. It belongs to the people, awarded to the few who proved they loved their country more than their own lives. Playing with the idea of self-awarding it doesn’t make a leader look brave; it makes the medal look cheap.