Trump Awards Two Medals Of Honor During State Of The Union
Trump awarded Medals of Honor to Eric Slover, who was shot four times during the January 3 raid that captured Nicolás Maduro, and to naval aviator Royce Williams, and also presented other high honors.
TownhallRep. Robin Kelly Mocks State of the Union Medal Recipients
CBNTrump Gives Medal of Honor to Wounded Warrior Hero of Venezuela Op
Business InsiderMedal of Honor pilot was hit repeatedly by machine-gun fire during the Maduro raid, Trump says, revealing mission details
Daily BeastTrump Is Now Demanding Yet Another Medal He Didn’t Earn
The Daily WireTrump Salutes American Heroes With Nation’s Highest Honors
Overview
President Trump awarded the Medal of Honor to Army Chief Warrant Officer Eric Slover and to retired Navy Capt. E. Royce Williams during his State of the Union address.
Trump said Slover was struck four times while piloting a Chinook during the January 3 raid that captured then‑President Nicolás Maduro.
Trump credited Slover with maneuvering his helicopter after the hits so onboard gunners could eliminate threats and save his fellow warriors, according to the president.
A total of seven U.S. troops were injured during the raid, and articles reported that Williams shot down four Soviet jets while his plane took 263 bullet holes.
Trump also presented Purple Hearts and the Legion of Merit, announced a Presidential Medal of Freedom for Connor Hellebuyck, and said he has "always wanted" the Medal of Honor.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story by foregrounding the president's dramatic account, repeating vivid, emotive quotations without independent verification, and structuring the piece as a heroism narrative. Editorial choices prioritize Trump’s version, add military-award context, and briefly note veterans' criticism — softening scrutiny while amplifying spectacle.
FAQ
Operation Absolute Resolve was a covert U.S. military raid launched on January 3, 2026, designed to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The operation involved months of planning and included bombing infrastructure across northern Venezuela to suppress air defenses, followed by a Delta Force assault on Maduro's compound in Caracas. The mission succeeded in capturing both Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were then transported to New York to face drug trafficking and weapons charges.
Slover received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions piloting the lead Chinook helicopter during Operation Absolute Resolve. Despite being shot four times in the leg and hip as his aircraft approached Maduro's compound, he maintained control of the aircraft, executed the insertion of Delta Force operators, and successfully returned to the USS Iwo Jima. His actions were critical to the mission's success despite sustaining severe injuries that left his leg shredded.
A total of seven U.S. service members were wounded during the raid on January 3, 2026. The injuries included gunshot wounds and shrapnel-related injuries sustained during the operation. Slover was among those wounded, suffering the most severe injuries from four bullet shots to his leg and hip.
Slover, 45, enlisted in the U.S. Army in August 2005 and completed basic training before attending Warrant Officer Candidate School and flight school, where he became a Chinook pilot. Prior to the Maduro raid, he had already proven his abilities in combat, receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross for actions during a rescue mission in Afghanistan that involved an intense firefight.
Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are being held in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, facing drug trafficking and weapons charges. They were transported to New York by U.S. forces following their capture during Operation Absolute Resolve and were processed at a local DEA field office before being incarcerated.
