'I'm going to do it even nicer': Trump struggles with Medal of Honor ribbon, ties it into a knot

At a White House ceremony on Thursday, President Donald Trump awarded the Medal of Honor to three veterans for battlefield heroism in Vietnam and Afghanistan, but the event soon became the focus of online ridicule after he appeared to fumble while placing the medal around one recipient’s neck.

The moment that drew the most attention came during the presentation to retired Army Maj. Nicholas Dockery, when Trump struggled to secure the ribbon and eventually tied it into a knot.

A Reuters photograph later captured the awkward finish, helping turn the ceremony into a viral talking point.

Also Read | 'For every tear of an Israeli mother...': 18 killed in Lebanon as Israel-Hezbollah conflict escalates despite US-Iran deal

Gallantry takes centre stage

Trump awarded the nation’s highest military decoration to retired Marine Maj. James Capers Jr., retired Army Maj. Nicholas Dockery, and posthumously to Marine Col. John W. Ripley, who died in 2008.

The honorees were recognized for acts of heroism that saved lives and repelled enemy forces in Vietnam and Afghanistan. Capers, 88, was honored for his actions during a 1967 ambush in Vietnam, Dockery for bravery during an ambush in Afghanistan in 2012, and Ripley for a wartime mission in which he destroyed a bridge under fire to slow a North Vietnamese advance.

A ribbon, a knot and an unscripted turn

The ceremony also produced a series of unscripted moments. During the presentation to Capers, Trump appeared to lean in closely while handling the medal and, according to the Daily Beast, said, "It's beautiful, it’s beautiful,” followed by, "Let me see what it looks like... we got to make this perfect,” as he adjusted the ribbon.

When he struggled again with Dockery’s medal, he gave up and said, “I’m going to do it a little differently; I’m going to do it even nicer.” He then tied the ribbon by hand and later joked, “Now that’s not coming off now.”

The solemn occasion meets the social media age

The White House ceremony was intended to honor three servicemen whose military records span decades of combat history. Trump presented the medal to Capers and Dockery in person and handed Ripley’s award to his family posthumously.

In remarks at the event, Trump described the recipients as “great men, great people” and told them, “We thank you and we will never, ever forget you.”

But the visual of the president tying the Medal of Honor ribbon into a knot was the image that traveled fastest online.

The awkward exchange drew attention on social media, where commentators seized on the moment and shared video clips of the ceremony. The episode added a lighter, if unintentionally embarrassing, note to a formal military occasion meant to spotlight extraordinary battlefield courage.

Also Read | Sauerkraut, steak and kimchi: The diet catching on in Trump's circle

FAQs

Q1: Why did Donald Trump go viral during the Medal of Honor ceremony?

Ans: Trump drew attention online after appearing to struggle with fastening a Medal of Honor ribbon and ultimately tying it into a knot during the White House ceremony.

Q2: Who received the Medal of Honor from Donald Trump?

Ans: Trump awarded the Medal of Honor to retired Marine Maj. James Capers Jr., retired Army Maj. Nicholas Dockery, and posthumously to Marine Col. John W. Ripley.