On Saturday, President Donald Trump awarded the first purple heart of his presidency to Army Sergeant. 1st Class Alvaro Barrientos, who was wounded March 17 in Afghanistan, in what is suspected to be the first of many Trump will award during his service as commander in chief of the US military, according to reports by the AP. “When I heard about this [act of heroism] I wanted to do it myself,” The president joined by first lady Melania Trump said at the brief ceremony at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD.
The Purple Heart is awarded to active military service members who are wounded or killed in action. Aside from the ceremony, Trump met privately at the medical center with about a dozen injured military service members who are receiving care.
