President Donald Trump has frequently spoken about medals and awards. In addition to previously saying he believed he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize, Trump has also expressed interest in awarding himself the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Visiting Georgia on Thursday to address affordability concerns, Trump spoke about bravery and his eligibility for the medal, saying, “I’ve given out so many to guys that are seriously brave—I mean, they come in with—the arms are missing, the legs are missing, the stories are so unbelievable.”
He then added, “And I said: it’s a little stretch if I gave myself one of them. But it’s one of those things—someday I’m going to try.” Trump has never served in the military and received five draft deferments during the Vietnam War era. He is not eligible for the Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration awarded by the U.S. government to service members who display extraordinary bravery in combat.
BREAKING: Trump floats awarding himself the Congressional Medal of Honor for being “brave” enough to fly to Iraq. This is someone who dodged the Vietnam draft because of “bone spurs” and people fought and died in his place. pic.twitter.com/zcol7RFqWi
— Trump Lie Tracker (Commentary Account) (@MAGALieTracker) February 20, 2026
However, Trump suggested he was willing to challenge the rules, telling the Georgia crowd, “I flew to Iraq and was extremely brave. In fact, so brave I wanted to give myself the Congressional Medal of Honor. I said to my people: am I allowed to give myself the Congressional Medal of Honor?” He then added, “I’m going to test the law, I’m going to say… let’s give it a shot. Maybe I’ll win in court after everyone sues me.”
While Trump appeared serious in his remarks, he later said he was joking with the crowd. Taking aim at media outlets that he has frequently criticized, the president added, “The fake news will say ‘Donald Trump wants to give himself the Congressional Medal of Honor but he was rebuffed by the audience who stood up and booed the hell out of him.”
Trump has made similar comments in the past, making it difficult for some critics to determine when he is joking. He also faced criticism during his 2024 campaign after saying the Presidential Medal of Freedom was the nation’s highest civilian award and comparing it to the Medal of Honor, stating that service members are often in “bad shape” or dead when they receive it.
President Trump arrives in Georgia and is greeted by @HerschelWalker and @GunnerStockton! 🏈🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/EiihpnwCdJ
— Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) February 19, 2026
Trump’s comments were later described as “asinine” by a prominent veterans group in a statement, while the president’s allies claimed he was misinterpreted.
In addition to discussing medals, Trump also addressed affordability, which was supposed to be the key focus of his Georgia visit. He claimed affordability was no longer an issue, saying, “Do you notice what word haven’t you heard over the last two weeks? Affordability. Because I’ve won. I won affordability.”
However, economic indicators suggest otherwise, as rising costs of everyday items and high housing prices have remained consistent concerns for many Americans during Trump’s presidency.
