Trump says he considered awarding himself the Medal of Honor for visiting Iraq, then hints at ‘testing the law’ in a shocking twist

Speaking in Rome, Georgia, President Donald Trump recounted his surprise December 2018 visit to U.S. troops at Al Asad Air Force Base in Iraq‘s Anbar province. He told the crowd that he felt incredibly brave for making the trip. “So brave in fact that I wanted to give myself the Congressional Medal of Honor,” Trump said.

According to People, Trump said he asked his team directly: “Am I allowed to give myself the Congressional Medal of Honor?” He acknowledged that the honor is typically given to “so many guys that are seriously brave,” describing how recipients often return with missing arms or legs. He admitted that giving himself one might be “a little stretch.”

Despite this, Trump quipped that it’s “one of those things, someday I’m going to try. I’m going to test the law.” He joked that he might win in court after being sued by “the radical left lunatic,” adding, “You know, I’m having fun.” He also predicted that “fake news” would report he wanted the medal but was “rebuffed by the audience who stood up and booed the hell out of him.”

Trump’s self-nomination highlights just how rare and significant the Congressional Medal of Honor truly is

The Congressional Medal of Honor is the country’s most prestigious military decoration, established by President John F. Kennedy in 1963. It is awarded to personnel from the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marines, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Space Force, and U.S. Coast Guard who have distinguished themselves through acts of valor in combat.

Only 3,528 people have received the medal out of the 40 million Americans who have served in the military. Most recipients fought in the Civil War, and today there are only 61 living recipients. Trump has been at the center of several naming and branding conversations lately, including questions around Trump-tied merchandise and trademarks.

This is not the first time Trump has suggested he deserves a major honor. He recently claimed he deserved the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for solving “seven unendable wars.” Trump has also made headlines for other bold claims, including Lara Trump’s comments on revealing alien existence. The actual 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, received the medal in October and then gave it to Trump in January. 

However, the Norwegian Nobel Committee clarified that regardless of what happens to the physical medal, the original laureate is the one “recorded in history as the recipient of the prize.” Trump, 79, made his remarks to a Georgia crowd, with footage of the comments published online. His December 2018 visit to Iraq was a surprise trip made during his first term in office.