During a ceremony held in the East Room of the White House on Thursday, Trump highlighted the longstanding tradition of awarding the Purple Heart to valiant military members, a custom that dates back to 1782 when General George Washington first presented a heart-shaped purple cloth to three soldiers for their bravery.
President @realDonaldTrump holds a ceremony for Purple Heart recipients 💜🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/11LhfrYfH7
— Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) August 7, 2025
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On National Purple Heart Day, Trump expressed, “We are gathered to honor the unwavering patriotism, resilience, and dedication of America’s Purple Heart veterans.”
On National Purple Heart Day, @POTUS honors Purple Heart recipients at the White House:
“Today, we give our everlasting thanks to you and your unbelievable families.” pic.twitter.com/a9bGKOKVoc
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 7, 2025
Acknowledging the veterans and their families, Trump continued, “Today, we extend our eternal gratitude to you and your remarkable families.” He remarked, “Each Purple Heart signifies a narrative of courage, sacrifice, and mission … The individuals who receive this medal braved gunfire, confronted intense bombings, and bled on the battlefield.”
.@POTUS: “Every Purple Heart tells a story of courage, sacrifice and purpose … Those who wear this medal ran into bullets, faced ferocious bombs and shed their blood on the field of battle … We will always use them as an example of bravery, and courage, and strength.” pic.twitter.com/CsrkDZjM59
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 7, 2025
He further stated, “We will consistently regard them as symbols of bravery, courage, and strength,” adding, “And we are reminded of our great American flag whenever we see them.”
At the end of the event, Trump signed the official proclamation declaring August 7, 2025, “National Purple Heart Day.”
At the Thursday event, three recipients – Gerald Enter Jr., John Ford, and Thomas Matteo – had previously sent their Purple Heart medals to Trump in 2024, after an assassination attempt occurred at his campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania:
Trump, in the East Room right now, says one Purple Heart recipient mailed his military decoration to the president following the assassination attempt in Butler, PA. @DailyCaller
— Reagan Reese (@reaganreese_) August 7, 2025
The entire list of Purple Heart recipients can be found here. It includes father and son, Kevin Willette and Brian Willette, who both received the Purple Heart for their service in Afghanistan.
The USA Today report linked above went on:
Today we honor the brave
The Purple Heart is the oldest military award and one of the most prestigious the U.S. bestows upon its service members.
On Purple Heart Day, we pause to honor and remember the bravery and sacrifice of our wounded and fallen heroes.
Semper Fidelis pic.twitter.com/rxUFvfm1fq
— U.S. Marines (@USMC) August 7, 2025
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President Trump recently made good on another campaign promise to take care of our veterans when he signed into law the VA Home Loan Program Reform Act, designed to help those who have served our country buy and keep their homes, hopefully putting an end to veteran homelessness, RedState reported. Republican Wisconsin Rep. Derrick Van Orden originally introduced it:
“An estimated 61,000 American veterans are in danger of losing their homes … but thanks to this bill, the @DeptVetAffairs will be empowered to pay loan holders the necessary amount to prevent foreclosures on our veterans,” he added. “So our veterans won’t be foreclosed and put out on the streets.”
“This bill also creates a five-year partial claim program that could benefit up to 3.7 million veterans. And will add nothing to debt,” Trump continued, noting that the bill passed unanimously in the House and the Senate.
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