Trump makes 'insane' comment during Medal of Honor ceremony as he struggles to clasp it on veteran's neck

Donald Trump has raised eyebrows after making unusual remarks during a Medal of Honor ceremony.

It's not unheard for the president to go off topic at public events. For example, a couple of days ago Trump – who recently celebrated his 80th birthday – got distracted by a 'handsome' reporter at a G7 press conference.

The POTUS was being asked a questioned by Sky News Arabia reporter Majed AlFarsi in the audience when he interjected to discuss his appearance.

"What a nice looking person," he said to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. "Is he from your country?"

Trump went on: "He's got such a nice way about him. My people are so mean. Look at him, the handsome guy. You could put him in a movie right now."

Now Trump has once more let his intrusive thoughts win during a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House yesterday (June 18).

Marine Corps Maj. James Capers, Marine Corps Col. John W. Ripley posthumously, and Army Maj. Nicholas Dockery we all being given the award.

He said in his speech: "Only a few have received our highest military distinction, The Congressional Medal of Honor. I wanted to give it to myself, but I was informed that I couldn't do it."

Trump went on to joke: "And I couldn't find anything where I was actually worthy [for the honor], so here we are."

While it's quite clear the president was only kidding (I think), people haven't been left terribly pleased with his remarks.

"At least now the world knows Trump is insane," one person said on Twitter.

“I wanted to give it to myself, but I was informed I couldn’t do it.”

President Trump joked about awarding himself the Medal of Honor before presenting the nation’s highest military distinction to three service members during a White House ceremony.

Trump called the recipients… pic.twitter.com/F1GXVIYhC2

— Fox News (@FoxNews) June 18, 2026

Another person wrote: "If he could give himself the medal he would... and with no shame whatsoever."

"The words out of his mouth are a disgrace to the service men and women of this nation," raged somebody else.

A fourth penned: "Trump has never served. It would be a perversion for him to give himself the Medal of Honor and would tarnish the sanctity of it."

"Is he joking or actually wanted to award himself the medals?" questioned a different Twitter-user.

When Trump eventually went on to put the medals around the necks of the honorees, he struggled with the clasp when giving the medal to US Army Major Nicholas Dockery in a moment that's since gone viral.

Away from joking that he wanted a Medal of Honor and fumbling the clasp of the medal itself, Trump has successfully signed an initial peace deal with Iran in recent days following weeks of conflict with the country that resulted in the Strait of Hormuz being blocked.

The president said the deal could prevent the US facing an 'economic catastrophe', said BBC News, and proceeded to threatened to 'bomb the hell' out of Iran if the deal falls through.