Former President Donald Trump stated Thursday the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, was “much better” than the Congressional Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest army ornament, as a result of troopers who obtain the latter needed to be severely injured or killed to obtain it.
Trump made the feedback in a marketing campaign occasion titled “Fighting Antisemitism” in Bedminster, New Jersey, the place he was launched by Republican megadonor Miriam Adelson. Shortly after he took the stage, the previous president lavished reward on Adelson for her work and described the second he bestowed the dignity in 2018.
“I watched Sheldon sitting so proud in the White House when we gave Miriam the Presidential Medal of Freedom,” Trump stated, talking about Sheldon Adelson. “That’s the highest award you can get as a civilian, 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,” he went on.
“She gets it, and she’s a healthy beautiful woman. And they’re rated equal. But she got the Presidential Medal of Freedom.”
Miriam Adelson is ready to turn into one of many largest donors throughout the election cycle, with plans to spend almost $100 million to help the previous president’s bid.
The Trump marketing campaign didn’t instantly reply to a request for touch upon his remarks Thursday. The Harris marketing campaign additionally didn’t reply to a request, however shared Trump’s remarks on its fast response X account.
Trump has made controversial remarks about troopers and veterans previously. In 2020, The Atlantic reported the then-president referred to American service members who died in World Conflict I as “losers” and “suckers” in conversations together with his workers. He additionally sparked a firestorm in 2015 when he stated the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) was not a struggle hero as a result of he was captured.
“I like people who weren’t captured,” Trump stated on the time.
He has disavowed claims he referred to as service members “losers.” However his former chief of workers, John Kelly, stated final 12 months Trump had, in truth, made all of these remarks.
Trump has labored to attraction to Jewish voters within the lead-up to November. He has repeatedly stated that Jews who vote Democrat “hate Israel” and will have their heads “examined.”