President Trump paid tribute Thursday to military veterans injured in action by hosting nearly 100 Purple Heart recipients at the White House.
Some gave their Purple Heart medals to Mr. Trump because he was shot in a failed assassination attempt last year in Butler, Pennsylvania.
“Every Purple Heart tells a story of courage, sacrifice and purpose,” Mr. Trump said. “It speaks of a price paid for the soldier beside you, the country behind you, and the generations of Americans yet to come, and we have some great generations to follow. It’s going to happen.
“Those who wear this mantle ran into bullets, faced ferocious bombs, and shed their blood on the field of battle,” he said. “We will never forget what they did. We will always use them as an example of bravery and courage and strength, and we will also always think when we look at them of our great American flag.”
The ceremony marked National Purple Heart Day, which honors the nation’s oldest military decoration. It began under President George Washington in 1782 to pay homage to those killed or wounded in battle.
Over 1.8 million Americans have received the Purple Heart, which was revived in 1932 under Franklin D. Roosevelt to mark the 200th anniversary of Washington’s birthday.
Recipients of the award are given a heart-shaped medal with a purple background and gold embroidery that features Washington’s profile.
At Thursday’s event, Mr. Trump signed a proclamation declaring it National Purple Heart Day.
Purple Heart heroes at the event included Gerald Enter Jr., Thomas Matteo and John Ford, who sent their Purple Heart badges to Mr. Trump following the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt in Pennsylvania.
Also on hand for the event in the East Room were father-and-son veterans Kevin Willette and Brian Willette, who both received Purple Hearts during tours in Afghanistan.
Among the Purple Heart recipients recognized were Mr. Trump’s 2024 campaign manager, Chris LaCivita, and Department of Veterans Affairs Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Sam Brown.
Other Purple Heart attendees at the event included:
• Eli Cuevas, a former squad-designated marksman who was injured in Iraq.
• Senior Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro Jr., a retired Air Force veteran of 22 years and special warfare operator who was severely wounded in Afghanistan in 2025.
• Captain Andrew D. Ashford, a retired Green Beret who enlisted in the U.S. Army following the 9/11 terrorist attacks and was injured in Afghanistan in 2017 during a 14-hour firefight against ISIS-K.
• Major James Capers Jr., a highly decorated veteran of the Marines who earned three Purple Hearts, the Silver Star and two Bronze Stars in the Vietnam War and was the first Black man to command a Marine Recon company.
Other Trump administration officials in attendance at the ceremony include Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan “Razin” Caine.