JD Vance draws flak for defending Donald Trump's comparison of Medal of Honor to Medal of Freedom

WASHINGTON, DC: Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance is under fire for defending former President Donald Trump after he controversially compared the prestigious Congressional Medal of Honor to the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Vance, who served as a Marine combat correspondent in Iraq, sought to downplay the comments, but his defense has sparked outrage, particularly among veterans, as reported by Vanity Fair.

JD Vance defends Donald Trump from backlash for comments about Medal of Honor

The controversy began when Donald Trump, during a campaign event at his New Jersey golf club, equated the Congressional Medal of Honor with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

The former president singled out Miriam Adelson, a major Republican donor and casino magnate, who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2018 from Trump himself.

He described the civilian honor as being on par with the Medal of Honor but went further to say that the freedom award was "actually much better."

"We gave Miriam the Presidential Medal of Freedom. It’s the equivalent of the Congressional Medal of Honor, but a civilian version," Trump stated.

He then added, "It’s actually much better because everyone gets the Congressional Medal of Honor, that’s soldiers, they’re either in very bad shape because they’ve been hit so many times by bullets—or they’re dead."

He continued, "She gets it, and she’s a healthy beautiful woman," emphasizing that the two awards are "rated equal."

Trump's remarks, seen as diminishing the sacrifices of Medal of Honor recipients, drew sharp criticism. However, Vance attempted to soften the blow when speaking to the Milwaukee Police Association.

He defended Trump, stating, "This is a guy who loves our veterans and who honors our veterans," although he admitted to not having seen the full remarks.

"I don't think him complimenting and saying a nice word about a person who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom is in any way denigrating those who received military honors," Vance continued.

He argued that Trump was merely expressing his admiration for Adelson and that the two awards are distinct.

Despite Vance’s defense, veterans and military organizations quickly voiced their disapproval. The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving members of the military, condemned Trump’s comments as "asinine."

Jon Soltz, an Iraq war veteran and co-founder of the veterans advocacy group VoteVets.org, also spoke out against Vance’s defense. In an interview with MSNBC’s Joy Reid, Soltz said, "Totally respect his service, but he’s a fraud."

JD Vance draws flak online in wake of his defense of Donald Trump

As news of JD Vance’s defense of Donald Trump spread, social media erupted with criticism.

One X user bluntly stated, "This guy was genuinely the worst pick for VP." Another commented, "Mr Uncool keeps getting even more cringy."

Another user expressed outrage, saying, "Vance is worse than weird if he can so deeply insult those Medal of Honor awardees, many of whom sacrificed their lives fighting for this country!"

Another echoed this sentiment, writing, "Spinning Trump bulls**t had to be the worst white job ever!!! Smh."

"As a veteran, JD Vance should be ashamed of himself!" one user wrote, while another added, "This dude is embarrassing to the country, himself, and the military."

"This guy is a clown, imagine voting for him," one user posted, while another stated, "spineless prick would never dare go against his overlord."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.