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3w ago

Trump Awards Medals of Honor to Caracas Raid Pilot and Korean War Aviator During State of the Union

The prime-time presentation broke with tradition by shifting the medal ceremony to the House gallery.

Army Chief Warrant Officer Eric Slover (left) and retired Navy Capt. Royce Williams (right) received the Medal of Honor on Feb. 25, 2026.
First lady Melania Trump presents the Congressional Medal of Honor to World War II Navy pilot Capt. Royce Williams as President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Eric Slover receives a Medal of Honor during President Donald Trump's State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
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Overview

  • Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Eric Slover was honored for leading a CH-47 during the January Caracas operation that captured Nicolás Maduro, receiving the medal as he stood with a walker.
  • Lt. Gen. Jonathan Braga placed the Medal of Honor on Slover in the House gallery, while First Lady Melania Trump presented the medal to retired Navy Capt. E. Royce Williams.
  • Trump said Slover was shot four times in the leg and hip yet completed the landing, with the award coming just about seven weeks after the mission in a notably rapid turnaround.
  • An official account says the raid also captured Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, and both are facing U.S. criminal proceedings tied to a 2020 Justice Department indictment.
  • Williams, 100, was recognized for a 1952 dogfight in which he shot down four MiG-15s, a feat long kept secret and made eligible for retroactive recognition after declassification and a congressional timing waiver.