Trump Says Civilian Award He Gave To Donor ‘Much Better’ Than Medal Of Honor

Former President Donald Trump said 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 military decoration, because soldiers who receive the latter had to be severely injured or killed to receive it.

Trump made the comments in a campaign event titled “Fighting Antisemitism” in Bedminster, New Jersey, where he was introduced by Republican megadonor Miriam Adelson. Shortly after he took the stage, the former president lavished praise on Adelson for her work and described the moment he bestowed the honor in 2018.

“I watched Sheldon sitting so proud in the White House when we gave Miriam the Presidential Medal of Freedom,” Trump said, speaking 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 set to become one of the biggest donors during the election cycle, with plans to spend nearly $100 million to support the former president’s bid.

The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on his remarks Thursday. The Harris campaign also did not reply to a request, but shared Trump’s remarks on its rapid response X account.

Trump has made controversial remarks about soldiers and veterans in the past. In 2020, The Atlantic reported the then-president