(NewsNation) — At a campaign event in New Jersey, former President Donald Trump said the civilian Medal of Freedom was “much better” than the Medal of Honor, the military’s highest honor.
Trump made the remark when introducing Miriam Adelson, the wife of deceased Republican megadonor Sheldon Adelson. Like her husband, Miriam Adelson has become a major donor, intending to spend $100 million this campaign season to support Trump.
Adelson received the Medal of Freedom in 2018.
“It’s the equivalent of the congressional Medal of Honor, but civilian version. It’s actually much better because everyone (who) gets the congressional Medal of Honor, they’re soldiers. They’re either in very bad shape because they’ve been hit so many times by bullets, or they’re dead,” Trump concluded. “She gets it, and she’s a healthy, beautiful woman, and they’re rated equal.”
When Adelson was awarded the Medal of Freedom, the Trump administration said the honor was bestowed due to her work as a doctor and philanthropist, though others questioned the explanation and criticized Trump for giving the medal in exchange for donations.
Created by President John F. Kennedy in 1963, the Medal of Freedom is meant to honor civilians who make significant contributions to “the interest of the United States” or “world peace” along with other cultural or important endeavors.
More than 600 people have been granted the honor since the award was established. Notable recipients include Walt Disney, T.S. Eliot, Helen Keller, Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, Joe DiMaggio, Martin Luther King Jr., Billy Graham, Steven Spielberg and Stephen Hawking, among many others.
The Medal of Honor is the highest military award, given to soldiers who are severely injured or killed and “distinguishes himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.” Since the medal was established in 1861, it has been given to 3,519 service members. Around half were awarded for actions during the U.S. Civil War.
The Medal of Freedom can be unilaterally awarded by a president. The Medal of Honor requires a recommendation packet including reports of the acts of bravery, at least two sworn eyewitness statements and any other evidence that can be gathered. It must be approved through the military chain of command, ending with the president.
Trump’s comments come as military service has been a source of attacks during the campaign. Neither Trump nor Vice President Kamala Harris served; however, both vice presidential nominees have a record of military service.
Recently, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, has attacked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, accusing him of stolen valor and abandoning his troops by retiring before his National Guard unit deployed to Iraq. Neither Vance, who served as a combat correspondent, nor Walz saw combat during their term of service.
While some veterans have raised questions about Walz’s remarks on his time in the military, others have come to his defense, noting he retired after 24 years of service and two months before his unit was given deployment orders.
The Harris campaign responded, accusing Trump of a pattern of disparaging veterans.
“Donald Trump knows nothing about service to anyone or anything but himself. For him to insult Medal of Honor recipients, just as he has previously attacked Gold Star families, mocked prisoners of war, and referred to those who lost their lives in service to our country as ‘suckers’ and ‘losers,’ should remind all Americans that we owe it to our service members, our country, and our future to make sure Donald Trump is never our nation’s commander in chief again,” said Harris-Walz spokesperson Sarafina Chitika.
