Former President Donald Trump said the nation's top civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, was "actually much better" than the nation's top military honor, the Medal of Honor, because those recipients are not badly injured by being "hit so many times by bullets" or "dead."
Speaking at a campaign event on Thursday, the former president was recalling how he awarded Miriam Adelson, a wealthy Republican donor and widow of billionaire casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, with the top civilian honor.
"I watched Sheldon sitting so proud in the White House when we gave Miriam the Presidential Medal of Freedom. That’s the highest award you can get as a civilian. It’s the equivalent of the Congressional Medal of Honor," Trump said.
"But civilian version, it’s actually much better because everyone [who] gets the Congressional Medal of Honor, they're 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 a healthy, beautiful woman, and they’re rated equal, but she got the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and she got it for — and that’s through committees and everything else.”
The Medal of Freedom, first awarded in 1963, is bestowed by the president for "an especially meritorious contribution to (1) the security or national interests of the United States, or (2) world peace, or (3) cultural or other significant public or private endeavors."
As president, Trump awarded the Medal of Freedom to 24 people, including athletes Roger Staubach, Tiger Woods, Gary Player, Marino Rivera and Jerry West, politicians Rep. Jim Jordan, Rep. Devin Nunes Sen. Orrin Hatch and political commentator Rush Limbaugh. He also awarded the honor posthumously to Elvis Presley, Babe Ruth, and Supreme Court associate Justice Antonin Scalia.
Trump's 24 were fewer than his contemporaries, President Joe Biden has awarded 38, Barack Obama awarded 118, President George W. Bush awarded 82 and President Bill Clinton awarded 89, the latter three doing so over two terms.
The Medal of Honor, awarded by the president on behalf of Congress, is awarded for any military service member who “distinguishes himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty, 1) While engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States; 2) While engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or 3) While serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party."
Trump bestowed the honor at least 11 times during his presidency, three were awarded posthumously.
In 2019, speaking at the 75th annual National Convention of American Veterans (AMVETS), Trump singled out World War II veteran and Medal of Honor recipient Woody Williams (awarded by President Harry S. Truman) and said he wanted to bestow the honor on himself.
“Nothing like the Medal of Honor,” Trump said at the time. “I wanted one, but they told me I don’t qualify, Woody. I said, ‘Can I give it to myself anyway?’ They said, ‘I don’t think that’s a good idea.’”
Trump concluded: “Great, great people. These are great, great men and women that get Congressional Medal of Honor. Thank you, Woody.”