GDELTWashington D.C.
Goldstein: -1.9Tone: 1.0
Trump struggles to clasp Medal of Honor at awkward White House ceremony
The president was unable to attach the medal, so ended up tying the blue-ribboned military honor tightly around the veteran’s neck
- Bookmark
- CommentsGo to comments
Donald Trump appeared unable to to clasp a Medal of Honor while conferring the award at an awkward White House ceremony.
In a video shared to Bluesky, the US president appeared to struggle with the ends of the medal’s blue ribbon for about 40 seconds before simply tying the medal tightly around veteran Major Nicholas Dockery’s neck.
The video shows the president speaking, but his audio is muted, so it is unclear what his exchange with Major Dockery entailed. When he finally attached the medal, nervous laughter broke out in the room.
The Medal of Honor is the highest military honor that can be conferred. It is given to a soldier who “distinguishes himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty,” per the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.
To receive the Medal of Honor at least two eyewitness statements have to be given on the recipient's extraordinary bravery.
Dockery, a special forces soldier from Indiana, is a highly decorated war hero. In 2012, he was working in Kapisa Province, Afghanistan, to protect a meeting between Afghan and U.S. leaders from being targeted by the Taliban.
When Taliban forces ambushed the Afghan and American forces near the meeting, Dockery ran through enemy gunfire to protect his team. He then saved multiple lives, putting himself between a fellow soldier and a grenade, re-exposing himself to enemy fire to rescue two missing soldiers, and administering CPR to a soldier who was not breathing.
The U.S. Army said: “Dockery’s ability to repel multiple enemy attacks was the deciding factor that saved the lives of his fellow American and Afghan soldiers on the ground. His actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of military heroism, valor, intrepidity and gallantry, and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army.”
The other recipients at the White House event were Marine Col. John W. Ripley and Retired Marine Corps Maj. James Capers, who both served in Vietnam.
Trump is the second U.S. president to turn 80 while in office. Recent polling shows that over half of Americans say he has noticeably declined in the past year. The same Reuters/Ipsos poll found that only a quarter of Americans believe him to be “even tempered.”
Recently the president has gone on long rambles about the construction of the White House ballroom at inopportune times, ranted in long posts on Truth Social, and been photographed appearing to fall asleep at his desk.
The president previously joked about giving himself the medal of honor. He has never served in the military, as he was diagnosed with bone spurs during the Vietnam War, despite being a college athlete.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments
Open article →NBCUnited States
Goldstein: -9.0Tone: -60.0CAMEO 18
IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.
UP NEXT
Obama encourages people to not give in to despair in current political climate
01:12Michelle Obama speaks at the opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago
21:16Knicks fans climb up scaffolding to get a better view of parade
00:28Mamdani dances with Karl-Anthony Towns during Knicks parade in New York City
00:26'Let's go Knicks!': Revelers break out into chants
00:15Aerials capture huge crowds unable to enter Knicks viewing parade
00:44Crowds wait for the Knicks parade to begin in downtown Manhattan
00:1618-year-old passenger dies after being tossed from runaway horse carriage in NYC
00:58Person of interest in Chicago cross burning says it was a protest against Trump administration
03:48Protests in Mississippi after a one-year-old was killed in a police shooting
02:08Upriver Fire in Washington has burned more than 220 acres
02:21How much will robotics play a role in the family dynamic heading into the future?
02:16Shelter-in-place order issued in Los Angeles over massive commercial building fire
02:12Incredible effort to rescue survivors after deadly plane crash
01:58Federal Reserve, now chaired by Kevin Warsh, leaves interest rates unchanged
02:51Luigi Mangione will use psychiatric defense in state murder trial
02:05Gilgo Beach serial killer sentenced to multiple life terms at emotional hearing
03:33Experimental fentanyl vaccine showed promise in an early-stage trial
03:00Bear attacks hiker on a Washington hiking trail
01:43Passengers trapped after small plane crashes on Texas highway
00:55
Live / Trump participates in Medal of Honor ceremony
Watch live coverage as President Trump participates in a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House.
UP NEXT
Obama encourages people to not give in to despair in current political climate
01:12Michelle Obama speaks at the opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago
21:16Knicks fans climb up scaffolding to get a better view of parade
00:28Mamdani dances with Karl-Anthony Towns during Knicks parade in New York City
00:26'Let's go Knicks!': Revelers break out into chants
00:15Aerials capture huge crowds unable to enter Knicks viewing parade
00:44
Open article →NBCUnited States
Goldstein: 5.0CAMEO 08
The New York Knicks will visit the White House to celebrate their NBA championship, an administration official confirmed to NBC News on Wednesday.
President Donald Trump’s hometown team will be the first NBA champions to visit the White House during either of his terms in office.
Knicks owner James Dolan first shared the news in an interview with WFAN sports radio Wednesday.
“We just did receive an invitation from the White House, which we accepted,” Dolan said. “We still have to figure out the details, etc., but yes, of course.”
A White House official told NBC News on Wednesday that administration officials have “been in touch with the Knicks and look forward to hosting the team at a date to be determined in the near future.”
Dolan on Wednesday touted his relationship with Trump, whom he invited to attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on June 8.
“Look, I invited the president to come down for the game. He is a friend. I’ve known him for 30 years, and I’m very proud to bring the team to the White House,” Dolan said.
Trump was booed at the game, the only one the Knicks lost to the San Antonio Spurs during the five-game series.
He watched the game from Dolan’s box, where he was joined by several administration officials, including Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, White House deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin.
Trump celebrated the Knicks’ championship early Sunday on Truth Social, congratulating Dolan and top players Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson.
“What a year it has been but, even more so, what incredible playoff wins we have all witnessed, especially the last four — Maybe the greatest in the history of basketball,” he wrote.
The Knicks are expected to visit the White House after NBA championship-winning teams skipped the meeting for years, starting with the Golden State Warriors in 2017.
Star player Stephen Curry said in September 2017 that he was not interested in visiting Trump’s White House, sparking a furious social media post from Trump.
“Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team. Stephen Curry is hesitating, therefore invitation is withdrawn!” Trump wrote on X in September 2017.
The Warriors did not visit the White House the next year after they won the championship again. The Toronto Raptors did not attend the White House after their 2019 win, either.
In 2020, the Los Angeles Lakers’ championship win was delayed by the Covid pandemic, and the team did not visit the White House. However, Trump told reporters in 2018 he would not invite Lakers player LeBron James to the White House after James stood behind Curry’s criticisms.
When Trump returned to office last year, the Oklahoma City Thunder said they would not visit the White House after their championship win because of “timing” issues.
Three teams visited during President Joe Biden’s term — the Milwaukee Bucks, the Warriors and the Boston Celtics in 2021, 2023 and 2024.
Open article →