President Donald Trump donated the congressional Medal of Honor awarded to Theodore Roosevelt in 2001 to the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, North Dakota. During a visit to the library, Trump stated that he would transfer the medal, which Roosevelt received posthumously for bravery during the Spanish-American War.
Trump remarked, "TR was celebrated as a hero and [was] eventually awarded the congressional Medal of Honor. That’s a big deal, and I’m thrilled to announce that just moments ago, 128 years after the Battle of San Juan Heights, it was my really great privilege to deliver his library [with] a very special little gift." He noted that he personally removed the medal from the Roosevelt Room in the White House and presented it to the library.
He also mentioned that the medal would be displayed alongside the Medal of Honor earned by Roosevelt's son. Trump made a light-hearted comment about potentially awarding himself and his sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, similar medals.
Trump's visit to the library was part of his activities related to the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States. He was accompanied by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who previously served as North Dakota's governor and contributed to fundraising for the library. Burgum stated that Roosevelt's time in North Dakota shaped his leadership and conservation vision, which significantly impacted America's environmental policies.