A Nevada Republican endorsed by Donald Trump is facing criticism after his campaign repeatedly claimed he had received a Bronze Star “for valor.”
David Flippo’s campaign says the wording resulted from staff errors, not an effort to mislead voters.
Flippo is seeking the Republican nomination in Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District, a heavily Republican seat that Representative Mark Amodei is leaving open.
Trump has endorsed Flippo, describing him as an “America First Patriot” and offering his “Complete and Total Endorsement.”
The endorsement has placed Trump at odds with Amodei and much of Nevada’s Republican establishment, which supports former state Senator James Settelmeyer.
Amodei has declined to support Flippo, calling him “not my cup of tea” and criticizing his lack of roots in Northern Nevada.
Military records show that Flippo was awarded a Bronze Star for his service. A separate “V” device denotes valor and is reserved for acts of heroism during direct combat with an enemy.
That valor distinction is far less common than a standard Bronze Star awarded for meritorious service.
The inaccurate wording first appeared during Flippo’s 2023 congressional campaign. In his announcement video, a narrator described him as a “recipient of the Bronze Star that he received for valor.”
Military records confirm that Flippo received a Bronze Star for his service, while the separate “V” device recognizes heroism in direct combat with an enemy.
A February 2026 fundraising email incorrectly said Flippo had “earned the Bronze Star for valor.” His campaign later acknowledged the error, blaming a copywriter who “accidentally” reused outdated talking points.
Even so, Flippo’s campaigns have repeatedly characterized the award as a Bronze Star “for valor.”
The claim can be traced to his 2023 congressional bid, when the narrator of his campaign launch video said he was a “recipient of the Bronze Star that he received for valor.”
The video was removed only after The Washington Post questioned the campaign about the description.
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The disputed wording returned this year. Following Flippo’s endorsement by Combat Vets for Congress in February, a fundraising email stated that he had “earned the Bronze Star for valor.” A second appeal sent a week later used similar language.
The campaign now acknowledges that the descriptions were inaccurate, though it has provided two separate accounts of how the error occurred.
Spokesman Rory McShane told The Post that a copywriter had “accidentally” reused outdated talking points while producing hundreds of fundraising messages.
Flippo offered a different explanation, saying video editors mistakenly combined his Bronze Star with another honor, the Outstanding Unit Award with Valor.
“Three years ago, our video editors made a mistake,” Flippo said, adding that he regretted failing to review the wording more carefully.
Doug Sterner, a military-awards expert who has received two Bronze Stars, questioned why the valor description had been repeated.
‘It’s pretty sad that this is a multiple-time thing,’ Sterner said. ‘It shows a pattern of deception. It is someone trying to give an impression of their service that is not true.’
Jason Dempsey, a retired Army infantry officer and national-security fellow, also characterized the wording as a significant exaggeration.
Flippo served in the Air Force for 24 years, from 1985 to 2009, according to a 2025 interview. He worked as a maintenance and logistics officer and served as a logistics commander during the Iraq War.
His military service included overseeing the distribution of millions of gallons of aviation fuel used to support thousands of combat sorties and strategic airlift missions.
The Nevada Republican Party has defended Flippo amid the controversy. In a statement, the party said his campaign had confused his Bronze Star with the Outstanding Unit Award with Valor.
The party argued that the mistake does not diminish Flippo’s military service or the decorations he earned, and criticized reporters for focusing on the wording error.
Our News Outlet has reached out to Flippo’s campaign for comment.
