Tessa Quinn
On Saturday, April 22, 2017, President Donald Trump awarded a Purple Heart to an Army sergeant, Sgt. 1st Class Alvaro Barrientos, who was recently wounded in Afghanistan. This event took place during Trump's first visit as president to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Sgt. Barrientos, whose right leg below the knee had been amputated, was brought into the hospital atrium in a wheelchair, accompanied by his wife, Tammy. Trump's decision to allow news media coverage of the medal ceremony was in sharp contrast to former President Barack Obama, who always presented Purple Heart medals behind closed doors during his visits to the hospital. In February 2019, an image of Trump presenting a Purple Heart to a wounded veteran named Clint Trial also went viral.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Trump's visit to a military hospital | 16 March 2019; Saturday, 2017 |
| Name of Hospital | Walter Reed National Military Medical Center |
| Location | Bethesda, Maryland |
| Name of Wounded Soldier | Sgt First Class Alvaro Barrientos; Clint Trial |
| Rank of Wounded Soldier | Sergeant |
| Branch of Military | US Army |
| Country of Injury | Afghanistan |
| Date of Injury | 17 March |
| Type of Injury | Right leg amputated below the knee |
| Name of Award | Purple Heart |
| Award Ceremony Attendees | Sgt. Alvaro Barrientos, his wife Tammy, President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump |
| Media Coverage | Limited mainstream media coverage; reported by the Titusville Herald |
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What You'll Learn
Trump awards Purple Heart to Sgt. Alvaro Barrientos
On April 22, 2017, US President Donald Trump awarded a Purple Heart to Sgt. 1st Class Alvaro Barrientos at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. This was Trump's first visit as president to a military hospital.
Sgt. Barrientos was wounded in Afghanistan on March 17, 2017, and had to have his right leg amputated below the knee. The Purple Heart is a military decoration awarded to service members who are wounded or killed in action. Sgt. Barrientos was wounded when an Afghan soldier opened fire at a base in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Two other US soldiers were also wounded in the attack.
During the ceremony, Sgt. Barrientos was accompanied by his wife, Tammy Barrientos. President Trump kissed Mrs. Barrientos on the cheek before pinning the medal on the sergeant's left shirt collar. Trump shook Sgt. Barrientos' hand and congratulated him on behalf of his wife, Melania, and the entire nation. First Lady Melania Trump was also present at the ceremony.
"When I heard about this, I wanted to do it myself. So congratulations. Tremendous," Trump said during the brief ceremony.
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Trump visits Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
On Saturday, April 22, 2017, President Donald Trump visited the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, marking his first visit as president to a military hospital. During this visit, Trump awarded a Purple Heart to Sgt. 1st Class Alvaro Barrientos, an Army sergeant who had recently been wounded in Afghanistan. Sgt. Barrientos, who had his right leg amputated below the knee, was brought into the hospital atrium in a wheelchair, accompanied by his wife, Tammy.
Trump's decision to allow news media coverage of the medal ceremony differed from former President Barack Obama, who typically presented Purple Heart medals during his visits to Walter Reed behind closed doors. Trump's motorcade to Maryland, instead of the usual helicopter ride, was due to the annual public tours of the White House south grounds and gardens taking place that Saturday. As the motorcade exited, nearby sidewalks were lined with people promoting science and defending it from attacks, including Trump's proposed budget cuts.
In February 2019, President Trump visited Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland for his annual physical. During this visit, he met with a wounded veteran named Clint Trial and presented him with a Purple Heart decoration. This event received little to no coverage from mainstream news outlets.
Trump has also been on the receiving end of Purple Heart medals. In 2024, a Vietnam War veteran presented Trump with a Purple Heart for his response to an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. This action sparked controversy, with critics blasting Trump as "disrespectful" due to his lack of military service and the significance of the Purple Heart medal for wounded US service members.
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Trump's first Purple Heart award as commander-in-chief
On Saturday, April 22, 2017, President Donald Trump awarded the Purple Heart to Sgt. 1st Class Alvaro Barrientos at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. This was Trump's first time awarding the Purple Heart as commander-in-chief and his first visit to a military hospital as president. Sgt. Barrientos was wounded in action on March 17, 2017, in Afghanistan and had his right leg amputated below the knee. He was brought into the ceremony in a wheelchair, accompanied by his wife, Tammy, whom Trump kissed on the cheek before pinning the medal on Sgt. Barrientos's left shirt collar.
Trump's decision to allow news media coverage of the medal ceremony differed from former President Barack Obama, who awarded Purple Hearts during his visits to Walter Reed but always did so behind closed doors. Trump's motorcade to Maryland also broke with presidential tradition due to the annual public tours of the White House south grounds and gardens taking place that Saturday. As the motorcade exited the complex, nearby sidewalks were lined with people who had come to Washington for Earth Day to promote science and defend it from Trump's proposed budget cuts.
Trump's awarding of the Purple Heart to Sgt. Barrientos was generally well-received. He stated during the ceremony, "When I heard about this and I wanted to do it myself [...] Congratulations on behalf of Melania and myself and the entire nation. Tremendous." Trump's visit and award also carried significance as the first of many Purple Hearts he would likely award during his service as commander-in-chief.
In February 2019, a photograph of President Trump awarding a Purple Heart to a wounded veteran named Clint Trial went viral on social media. Mainstream news media outlets provided little to no coverage of this event, leading to claims of a "news media blackout." However, Snopes investigated these claims and found a report in the Titusville Herald, a Pennsylvania newspaper, which covered the story due to the veteran's family ties to the state. The veteran's surname was omitted from the article at the family's request for privacy.
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Trump's visit was his annual physical
In February 2019, former US President Donald Trump visited the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, for his annual physical. During this visit, Trump awarded a Purple Heart to a wounded veteran, reportedly named Clint Trial. This event was not covered by mainstream news media, except for a Pennsylvania newspaper, the Titusville Herald, which reported on it due to the veteran's family ties to Saegertown, Penn.
Trump's visit to the military hospital was his first as president. He awarded the medal to Sgt First Class Alvaro Barrientos, who was wounded on 17 March in Afghanistan and had his right leg amputated below the knee. Two other US soldiers were also wounded in the attack. Sgt Barrientos entered the ceremony in a wheelchair, accompanied by his wife, whom Trump kissed on the cheek before pinning the medal on the sergeant’s left shirt collar.
Trump's decision to allow news media coverage of the medal ceremony contrasted with former President Barack Obama, who always presented Purple Heart medals behind closed doors during his visits to the hospital. Trump chose to drive to Maryland instead of taking the typical presidential helicopter due to annual public tours of the White House grounds and gardens taking place that Saturday.
Trump's visit to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center was part of his annual physical, and he took the opportunity to meet with wounded veterans and present the Purple Heart award to Sgt Barrientos. This visit was the first of many during which Trump is likely to award Purple Hearts as commander-in-chief of the US military.
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Trump awarded the Purple Heart in public, unlike Obama
In April 2017, President Donald Trump awarded a Purple Heart to an Army sergeant, Sgt First Class Alvaro Barrientos, who had been wounded in Afghanistan. This was Trump's first visit as president to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Barrientos, whose right leg below the knee had been amputated, was brought into the hospital atrium in a wheelchair, accompanied by his wife, Tammy.
Trump's decision to allow news media coverage of the medal ceremony was in sharp contrast to former President Barack Obama, who awarded Purple Heart medals during his own regular visits to Walter Reed but always did so behind closed doors. Trump's motorcade to Maryland was also unusual, as he was driven instead of flying in the Marine One helicopter, due to annual public tours of the White House south grounds and gardens taking place that Saturday.
In February 2019, a photograph of Trump awarding a Purple Heart to a wounded veteran named Clint Trial went viral on social media. However, this event received little to no coverage from mainstream news outlets. Trump had been at Walter Reed for his annual physical and met with Trial and his family.
Trump has also accepted Purple Heart medals on several occasions, despite his controversial history with military service. In 2016, he was given a Purple Heart by a retired lieutenant colonel at a rally in Ashburn, Virginia. In 2024, a Vietnam War veteran gave Trump a Purple Heart for his response to an assassination attempt, despite criticism that Trump was "disrespectful" and "disgusting" for accepting the medal.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, on April 22, 2017, Trump awarded Sgt. 1st Class Alvaro Barrientos a Purple Heart at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
Alvaro Barrientos was a US Army Sergeant who was wounded in Afghanistan on March 17, 2017. His right leg was amputated below the knee.
Trump awarded the Purple Heart to Barrientos because he was wounded in action during the war in Afghanistan. The Purple Heart is given to service members who have made great sacrifices in war for the US military.
No, but there have been instances where Trump has been given a Purple Heart medal. In 2016, a retired lieutenant colonel gave Trump a Purple Heart medal at a rally in Ashburn, Virginia. In 2024, a Vietnam War veteran also gave Trump a Purple Heart medal for his response to an assassination attempt.
