FEBRUARY 26, 2026 – Last night, in the nation’s capital, two heroic Americans were honored with the country’s highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor.
At the conclusion of his State of the Union address, President Donald J. Trump announced that Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Eric Slover and retired Navy Capt. Royce Williams were both medal recipients.
Slover, still on active duty, earned the medal for actions last month in Venezuela, while Williams — now 100 years old — received the medal for actions during the Korean War in 1952.
In early January, Trump announced the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, following a successful overnight joint U.S. military mission in Venezuela’s capital of Caracas.
Both Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores de Maduro, were captured by U.S. military forces during that raid, and the two are facing criminal court proceedings tied to a 2020 indictment from the Justice Department on multiple federal charges, including narco-terrorism and drug trafficking.
Slover was part of the military effort to capture Maduro during that raid Jan. 2, Trump said. He was responsible for planning a helicopter mission involving a CH-47 Chinook.
“Slover planned a mission and was the flight lead in the cockpit of the first helicopter,” Trump said. “Eric steered the Chinook under the cover of night and descended swiftly upon Maduro’s heavily protected military fortress.”
The area, Trump said, was heavily guarded by thousands of soldiers.
“While preparing to land, enemy machine guns fired from every angle, and Eric was hit very badly in the leg and hip — one bullet after another,” Trump said. “He absorbed four agonizing shots, shredding his leg into numerous pieces.”
Despite those injuries, Trump said, Slover pressed on to deliver commandos to the drop zone, where the mission could be carried out.
“[Delivering] the many commandos who would capture and detain Maduro was the only thing Eric was thinking about then,” the president said.
“Even as he was gushing blood … Eric maneuvered his helicopter with all of those lives and souls to face the enemy and let his gunners eliminate the threat — turn the helicopter around so the gunners could take care of business — saving the lives of his fellow warriors from what could have been a catastrophic crash, deep in enemy territory.”
After safely landing the helicopter in the right location so the mission could continue, Eric told his copilot, also wounded, to take over.
“The success of the entire mission and the lives of his fellow warriors hinged on Eric’s ability to take searing pain,” Trump added.
During the State of the Union address, Army Lt. Gen. Jonathan Braga, commander of the Joint Special Operations Command, put the medal around Slover’s neck.
The president said there would be a separate event, at the White House, where he would present the medal to Slover.
Nearly 75 years in the making, retired Navy Capt. Royce Williams was also awarded the Medal of Honor. Williams served in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, the president said. His combat actions in Korea earned him the Medal of Honor.
“In the skies over Korea in 1952, Royce was in the dog fight of a lifetime — a legendary dog fight,” Trump said. “Flying through blizzard conditions, his squadron was ambushed by seven Soviet fighter planes. It was his first aerial combat of the war. And despite being massively outnumbered and outgunned, Royce led the takedown of four enemy jets and almost destroyed the others — vanquishing his adversaries while taking 263 bullets to his own plane and being seriously hurt.”
For over 50 years, the president said, that mission had been kept secret — Williams didn’t even tell his wife.
“But the legend grew and grew,” Trump said. “But tonight, at 100 years old, this brave Navy captain is finally getting the recognition he deserves. He was a legend long before this evening.”
First Lady Melania Trump placed the Medal of Honor around Williams’ neck.
The president also honored other military heroes during the address. Among those were Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Scott Ruskan, a rescue swimmer, who was awarded the Legion of Merit for his rescue efforts during a flood last year in central Texas. Ruskan is credited with saving more than 160 lives.
Additionally, two National Guardsmen were awarded Purple Hearts. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom and Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe were shot while on patrol in Washington, Nov. 26, 2025.
Beckstrom died from her injuries just a day later. She was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, with her parents accepting the medal on her behalf. Wolfe was severely injured but has since recovered. He was present at the Capitol to accept the award.
American Golden Age
This year, the United States will mark 250 years as a nation, and Trump said the United States is stronger than it has ever been.
“Members of Congress and my fellow Americans, our nation is back, bigger, better, richer and stronger than ever before,” he said. “Less than five months from now, our country will celebrate an epic milestone in American history: the 250th anniversary of our glorious American independence.”
On July 4, Trump said, the United States will mark two and a half centuries of liberty, triumph, progress and freedom, Trump said, adding the best is yet to come.
“You’ve seen nothing yet,” he added. “We’re going to do better and better and better — this is the golden age of America.”
By C. Todd Lopez, Pentagon News