Trump’s Medal of Honor ceremony chaos leaves a brave veteran in an unbelievably tight spot, sparking outrage
Michael Vadon is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
The internet never forgets.
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President Donald Trump is currently facing a wave of criticism after a video of him presenting the Medal of Honor to Command Sergeant Major Terry P. Richardson went viral on social media. Many are of the opinion that what should have been a truly special occasion for a deserving veteran turned into a seemingly awkward moment.
According to UNILAD, this latest incident has sparked a lot of discussion online, especially since President Trump has often made comments about former President Joe Biden’s perceived gaffes. The ceremony, held at the White House on Monday, March 2, saw Trump honor three individuals.
President Trump referred to all three as “incredible American heroes,” noting that two of the awards were given posthumously, while Command Sergeant Major Terry P. Richardson was the living recipient. Trump posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor to Master Sgt. Roderick W. Edmonds and Staff Sgt. Michael H. Ollis, alongside the award to Richardson.
It’s always exciting to be present at the birth of a new meme
In the video, you can see President Trump tapping Richardson on the shoulder, then taking a few seconds to get the medal fastened. After it was on, he gave Richardson another shoulder pat and they shook hands. However, many viewers online quickly pointed out that the ribbon appeared incredibly short and tight, leading to shock, anger and even memes and jokes that it looked like it could have “choked” the veteran.
The comments didn’t stop. One user quipped, “First thing DOGE cut was the ribbon budget.” Another person simply asked, “why is it so tight? they didn’t have a longer ribbon? Wtf.” Someone else even wrote, “I guess you’re wondering why I have this dog collar around my neck. Well, it’s a funny story…..”
It’s easy to see why people would react this way, even though some online users did share images of past Medal of Honor recipients. They noted that the ribbons are indeed designed to be comparatively short and sit high on the neck.
The Medal of Honor is the absolute highest military honor a person can receive in the United States. According to the White House, it’s given to individuals who “distinguish themselves conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of their own lives above and beyond the call of duty.”
The White House further clarifies that honorees are those who “engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States, engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force, or serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.”
Published: Mar 5, 2026 04:00 pm