Trump Roasted For Saying Medal Of Honor Recipients Inferior to GOP Mega-Donor: ‘The Disrespect Is Legit Dumbfounding’

Alex GriffingAug 16th, 2024, 11:44 am

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Former President Donald Trump stirred controversy on Thursday during a speech to Jewish supporters about combatting rising antisemitism in the U.S. He was joined by Miriam Adelson, the GOP mega-donor and the wealthiest person in Israel.

During his speech, Trump recalled giving Adelson the Presidential Medal of Freedom. “That’s the highest award you can get as a civilian,” Trump said adding:

It’s the equivalent of the Congressional Medal of Honor. But civilian version.

It’s actually much better because everyone 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 [laughs] a healthy, beautiful woman.

Trump later said the medal he gave Adelson for being one of his biggest campaign donors in 2016 was “rated equal” to the Medal of Honor, which is the highest military award for valor in the U.S. and reserved for those soldiers “who distinguish themselves through conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty.”

Trump’s odd remark echoed comments his former Chief of Staff John Kelly said Trump made to him at a military cemetery while president, saying that soldiers who died in combat are “losers” and “suckers.” Trump received a swift backlash online to his comments Thursday from across the political spectrum.

Below are some of those responses:

I’ve received a flood of angry text messages from veterans whose political ideologies differ regarding former President Trump’s comments. I’ll be working late this evening. pic.twitter.com/sqnH7m58OV

— Jim LaPorta (@JimLaPorta) August 16, 2024

I legit can’t believe this is real. The disrespect is legit dumbfounding and overwhelming. pic.twitter.com/SpFWgFz5K7

— Chaps (@UncleChaps) August 16, 2024

Trump dishonor Medal of Honor recipients, our nations highest military award for distinguished acts of valor. He deserves nothing but disdain and disqualifies himself from public office. https://t.co/I8LhRxAnhJ

— Alexander S. Vindman ❎ (@AVindman) August 16, 2024

Donald Trump insulting Medal of Honor recipients is just a continued trend of his disrespect towards our men and women in the military. It’s disgusting. This is offensive on so many levels. https://t.co/4upGctOe4o

— Travis Akers (@travisakers) August 16, 2024

Do you think the Medal of Honor should be held in high reverence?

Trump thinks it’s secondary to the medal he gives his billionaire funders.

He doesn’t care about our military or their sacrifices. pic.twitter.com/AFTaKsgUTI

— Veterans For Responsible Leadership (@VetsForRL) August 16, 2024

Just seeing this.

Incredible.

Trump says the presidential medal he gave to Miriam Adelson is better than the congressional one the soldiers get because she’s a healthy, beautiful woman and they are wounded or dead.

My God. https://t.co/c3cRtePfm2

— Jon Ralston (@RalstonReports) August 16, 2024

No, the Medal of Honor is not the equivalent of the medal Trump gave to Rush Limbaugh and Jim Jordan. No, they are not “rated equal.” Not even close.
Every single member of the military knows the significance of the MEDAL OF HONOR. Every single Commander in Chief in the history… https://t.co/gCTsOMntAI

— Amy McGrath (@AmyMcGrathKY) August 16, 2024

Even joking that the Medal of Freedom is “better” than the Medal of Honor (let alone because of physical beauty) is simply unacceptable.

There’s no excuse. I won’t ignore it, dismiss it, or defend it.

This lack of thought, discipline and, yes, respect is Trump’s Achilles heel. pic.twitter.com/u3iCoQmKJX

— Ian Haworth (@ighaworth) August 16, 2024

He is speaking of Miriam
Adelson, who charged two German machine gun nests, was wounded sixteen times but managed to pull five other wounded members of a platoon to safety before collapsing herself.

Wait, I just checked the award citation and Ms. Adelson received the Medal of… https://t.co/9UN0RuBopL

— David Simon (@AoDespair) August 16, 2024