Vance appears to walk back Trump’s offer of $5,000 ‘dividend’ if Republicans win midterms - US politics live
Donald Trump used a National Medal of Honor museum event, meant to celebrate recipients and sign a bipartisan bill, to instead attack political opponents, make unsubstantiated economic claims, and joke about awarding himself a Medal of Honor. His remarks included criticisms of James Talarico and Ken Paxton, and a "fictional economic figure" about foreign investment.
Why it matters
This highlights how political figures can use non-political events for campaigning and personal attacks, potentially disrespecting the event's original purpose and spreading misinformation. It also reflects on the political discourse and the use of public platforms.
It was a simple enough assignment. Donald Trump attended the National Medal of Honor museum on Thursday for an event where he was supposed to give an address that would celebrate medal recipients, then sign a bipartisan bill that would lead to a monument being installed on the National Mall.
Instead, the US president used his speech to attack James Talarico, the Texas Democratic candidate for Senate; to list fantasy figures about foreign investment in the US; and to muse about how Washington DC is cleaner than it used to be.
Donald Trump speaks at the National Medal of Honor Museum, Arlington, Texas, 10 September 2026. Trump, who seemed drained after his address at the Republican midterm convention on Wednesday night, also used the supposedly politically neutral event to once again tear into the appearance of Ken Paxton, his handpicked candidate for Senate.
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