Trump awards back-to-back Medals of Honor during State of the Union address

President Donald Trump used part of his State of the Union address on Tuesday to spotlight American military heroism, awarding U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Eric Slover and U.S. Navy Captain E. Royce Williams with the nation's highest military honor. 

Recounting what he described as a high-risk January raid targeting Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, Trump detailed Slover’s role in leading the mission. He said Slover was piloting a Chinook helicopter transporting U.S. forces into heavily fortified enemy territory under the cover of darkness. As the aircraft approached the target, it came under intense machine gun fire from multiple directions.

"There were many heroes on that January raid to capture Maduro. Really great heroes. It was very dangerous," Trump said, describing the perilous mission.

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"He absorbed four agonizing shots, shredding his leg into numerous pieces," the president continued, telling lawmakers that "the success of the entire mission and the lives of his fellow warriors hinge on Eric’s ability" to keep flying as blood "pour[ed] down the aisle."

Slover, still recovering from his wounds, attended the address with his wife, Amy, as he was presented with the nation’s highest military award.

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Trump also presented the Medal of Honor to Williams, a 100-year-old Korean War veteran and retired Navy captain, for his extraordinary combat valor during a long-classified 1952 aerial dogfight over the Sea of Japan. 

Flying a single F9F Panther jet from the USS Oriskany, Williams engaged and shot down four Soviet MiG-15 fighters during a 35-minute battle despite being heavily outnumbered and flying an aircraft considered inferior in speed and climb rate. 

At the time, the U.S. government kept the encounter secret to avoid escalating tensions with the Soviet Union, which was not officially acknowledged as a combatant in the war. Decades later, after the details were declassified, Williams’ actions were formally recognized with the nation’s highest military honor.

The back-to-back Medal of Honor ceremonies underscored the administration’s emphasis on military service, drawing extended applause from lawmakers and guests in the chamber.