U.S. President Donald Trump makes a fist at the end of an event during a visit to Coosa Steel Corporation, in Rome, Georgia, U.S., February 19, 2026. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
President Donald Trump's "offensively disgusting" joke about the Congressional Medal of Honor on Thursday rankled political analysts and observers.
Trump traveled to Rome, Georgia, to speak to a crowd at the Coosa Steel Corporation. During his speech, Trump said he was considering giving himself the Congressional Medal of Honor, which is reserved for military members who exhibit acts of valor. Trump, who never served in the military, made a similar remark back in 2019, according to reports.
"I decided to go to Iraq. I was extremely brave. So brave in fact that I wanted to give myself the Congressional Medal of Honor,” Trump said, according to The Hill.
“I said to my people, am I allowed to give myself the Congressional Medal of Honor? And you know, I’ve given out so many to guys that are seriously brave. I mean, they come in, and their arms are missing, their legs are missing. Their stories are so unbelievable. And I said that’s a little stretch if I gave myself one,” the president added.
Trump's comments ignited a firestorm on social media.
"He is profoundly, offensively disgusting," author Jennifer Erin Valent posted on X.
"From the same piece of s--- who made the biggest VA cuts in history so he could pay lower taxes," Andrew Bates, a former Biden White House staffer, posted on X.
"We're better than this, folks," David Jolly, a Florida gubernatorial candidate, posted on X. "We're better than this. Let's send a very loud, undeniable message in November."
"He's bragging like a small child. So embarrassing," author Mark D. White posted on X.
"Cartoon character," journalist Bruce Schoenfeld posted on X.