The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), one of the nation’s largest and oldest veterans advocacy groups, on Friday denounced former President Trump’s recent comments likening the Medal of Honor to a presidential award for civilians, calling the remarks “foolish.”
“These foolish comments not only diminish the importance of our nation’s highest award for bravery, but also disrespectfully portray the sacrifices of those who risk their lives above and beyond the call of duty,” VFW National Commander Al Liphardt said in a statement Friday.
The VFW’s response came after President Trump equated the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which is awarded to civilians, with the Medal of Honor, which is awarded to soldiers wounded in combat.
“This is the highest award a civilian can receive — the civilian equivalent of the Congressional Medal of Honor,” Trump told attendees at an event at his club in Bedminister, New Jersey, that also included Miriam Adelson, a major Republican donor who was awarded the Medal of Freedom in 2018.
“It’s actually a lot better, because the people who get the Congressional Medal of Honor are soldiers who have been shot multiple times and are either in bad shape or dead. She won it, and she’s a healthy, beautiful woman,” Trump said of Adelson. “They’re all equally valued.”
The moment drew an outpouring of praise from veteran human rights activists and advocates.
This isn’t the first time the former president has made headlines for his derogatory comments about injured veterans. In 2020, veterans groups demanded an apology from Trump after he downplayed the injuries of 34 service members who suffered traumatic brain injuries in a retaliatory Iranian airstrike, calling them “a headache.”
“TBI is a serious injury and should not be taken lightly,” the group said. Written “The VFW looks forward to the president apologizing to our service members for his erroneous comments.”
The Trump campaign has not backed down from the former president’s recent comments.
In an interview with NewsNation’s Leland Vittert, Trump campaign senior adviser Corey Lewandowski defended Trump’s comments after Vittert asked if Trump was trying to double down on his statements.
“Because there are people who don’t serve in the military who deserve to be recognized with the highest honor our country can bestow,” Lewandowski told NewsNation on Friday night in response to Vittert’s question about the Trump comparison.
The clip is Repost The vice presidential campaign’s emergency response team, Kamala HQ, said in a statement. The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Hill.
The controversy comes as Republicans seek to attack Democratic vice presidential nominee Gov. Tim Walz’s military record, arguing that contradictions in his public comments amount to libel. Walz served in the Army National Guard. Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. J.D. Vance is also a military veteran, having served in the Marines during the Iraq War.
Following Harris’ announcement that she will become vice president, Lipphardt said: Praised Both sides are involved in the veterans’ choice campaign, but ahead of the election, the VFW’s confidence in the Republican campaign appears to have waned.
“If a candidate for commander in chief so brazenly disregards the bravery and honor the Medal of Honor represents, I question whether he will discharge his responsibilities with the necessary seriousness and discernment,” Lipphardt concluded in a statement.
“It is even more disappointing that these comments are coming from someone who already holds this noble office and who, frankly, should already know better.”
