A monument honoring Medal of Honor recipients is a step closer to fruition after President Donald Trump signed a bill authorizing a new D.C.-based monument Thursday at the National Medal of Honor Museum.
Before the signing, Trump toured the museum in Arlington, Texas — pausing for an apparent economic discussion with Medal recipients in front of an Army helicopter — and gave remarks that touched on the monument. But he quickly turned to his usual stump speech, with tangents on tariffs, the border and the cleanliness of downtown D.C.
“With this museum and a new monument in Washington, D.C., America will never ever forget what they did, and what they risked and how much they’ve risked, what they meant to our families and what they’ve meant to our country,” Trump said.
Named after Heschel “Woody” Williams, the last World War II Medal of Honor recipient, the bill ensures that the monument will have a prominent location on the National Mall. Sixteen recipients attended the signing. Joining them were Rep. Blake Moore (R-Utah) and Sen. Jim Justice (R-West Virginia), who sponsored the bill, with Williams’ family also in attendance.
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Trump said during his remarks that the monument was originally to be erected near the Lincoln Memorial, but he indicated that is no longer the case. He paused and said that location was taken, but that the administration would find a better location for the monument.
During his museum tour, Trump stopped to greet seven Medal recipients. After taking a picture with them, Trump could be heard telling the recipients about investments in American industry.
“Twenty trillion dollars this year,” Trump said. “It’s never been anywhere near it.”
One recipient in front of the president responded, “I don’t understand trillions.” Trump patted him on the shoulder and said, “He doesn’t understand money.”
Trump’s speech resembled a shortened version of his Wednesday night address at the GOP midterm convention, including his recent repeated riff on the looks of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is running for Senate. Trump later joked that he would like to receive a Medal of Honor.
“Tonight, the story will be that Donald Trump wants the Congressional Medal of Honor,” Trump said. “I’m only kidding. Actually, I’m not kidding.”
Describing the monument as the final piece of a project to safeguard and remember recipients, museum Chair Charlotte Jones called the signing a “giant leap forward” toward the monument’s existence.
“I have been asked many times why this project hasn’t already been built and why it doesn’t exist already,” Jones said. “Every time I answer, ‘I think it is because our country needs it now more than ever before.’”
Trump visited the meeting while in town for the GOP midterm convention. He spoke at the convention Wednesday night and was scheduled to address convention attendees again on Thursday night.
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