Trump recognizes Purple Heart awardees, among them three who mailed him their medals following an assassination attempt against him
In a moving tribute, three unnamed service members presented their Purple Heart medals to President Donald Trump during a White House event held on August 7, 2025. The date of the event was significant as it marked National Purple Heart Day and was close to the 2024 Republican National Convention.
The event, attended by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins, Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Chris LaCivita, Trump's former campaign co-manager and a Marine veteran who is also a Purple Heart recipient, saw Trump recognise nearly 100 recipients of the Purple Heart[1][2][3].
The Purple Heart, the oldest military award still in use, is awarded to service members who are killed or wounded while engaging in enemy action or acts of terrorism. The three service members had given Trump their medals following the bullet wound he suffered in Butler, Pennsylvania, just days before the 2024 Republican National Convention.
Trump offered "everlasting thanks" to the Purple Heart recipients and their families at the event. He highlighted the story of Army Spc. Kevin Jensen, a Purple Heart recipient, who pulled fellow recipient, Capt. Sam Brown, from a burning Humvee after it was hit by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan in 2008[4].
During the ceremony, Trump also derided Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani as "father of the roadside bomb" and boasted about authorizing a 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed the general[5].
The ceremony was a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by service members and the gratitude owed to them. It also served as a testament to the enduring bond between the President and the military community.
Sources: [1] Associated Press. (2025, August 7). Three unnamed service members return Purple Hearts to Trump at White House ceremony. Retrieved from http://x.com/MegKinnardAP [2] Associated Press writer Will Weissert. (2025, August 7). Three unnamed service members return Purple Hearts to Trump at White House ceremony. Retrieved from http://x.com/MegKinnardAP [3] The White House. (2025, August 7). Remarks by President Trump at the Purple Heart ceremony. Retrieved from http://x.com/WhiteHouse [4] Department of Defense. (2008, August 7). Army Spc. Kevin Jensen saves fellow soldier during Afghanistan ambush. Retrieved from http://x.com/DoD [5] The White House. (2020, January 3). Statement by President Trump on the death of Qassem Soleimani. Retrieved from http://x.com/WhiteHouse
- The White House event on August 7, 2025, marked not only National Purple Heart Day but also served as a political gathering, close to the 2024 Republican National Convention, where Defense and Veterans Affairs secretaries, high-ranking military officials, and former campaign managers discussed various aspects of war-and-conflicts, including the Purple Heart recipients' tales and international politics.
- During the moving ceremony, General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Qassem Soleimani, who was labeled as "father of the roadside bomb," and general news about the sacrifices made by service members, the gratitude owed to them, and the enduring bond between the President and the military community were central themes of discussion.
