President Donald Trump on Thursday signed the Hershel ‘Woody’ Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act, authorizing the construction of a monument on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. to honor recipients of the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military award for valor.
The legislation, named after Hershel ‘Woody’ Williams, the last surviving World War II Medal of Honor recipient before his death in 2022, will allow the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation to establish the monument. The foundation confirmed that private donations will fund the project, with no federal funds allocated. The monument will be located within the Reserve of the National Mall, a protected area near the Lincoln Memorial.
During the signing ceremony at the National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington, Texas, Trump met with 15 of the 65 living Medal of Honor recipients, including veterans from conflicts ranging from the Korean War to the Global War on Terror. He also received the foundation’s ‘Champion of Honor’ award, recognizing his support for preserving the legacy of Medal of Honor recipients.
Trump recounted Williams’ heroism during the Battle of Iwo Jima, where Williams, a Marine flamethrower operator, survived a casualty rate of over 90% among his unit to carve a path for advancing troops. Williams’ family attended the event, and Trump emphasized the monument’s role in ensuring their sacrifices are never forgotten.
The legislation does not create the monument itself, as Congress previously authorized its establishment in 2021. Instead, the new law designates a specific location on the National Mall for the monument, which the Trump administration has pledged to secure as the ‘best site’ in Washington, D.C.
The event drew bipartisan attendance, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), and former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley.
During his remarks, Trump also reiterated a previous remark about the Medal of Honor, stating, ‘I want for myself a Congressional Medal of Honor, and I've studied it and I would give it to myself. I have no problem. But I'm not allowed to.’ He later added, ‘I’m only kidding. Actually, I’m not kidding,’ drawing laughter from the audience. Federal law restricts the Medal of Honor to members of the U.S. Armed Forces who perform acts of valor in combat; Trump did not serve in the military.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom, which Trump noted is a separate award, was mentioned as an alternative he considered more suitable for his own recognition.
The monument’s construction follows years of advocacy by the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation, which has worked to preserve the stories of recipients like Williams and ensure their legacy endures in the nation’s capital.