President Trump presents Purple Heart to US service member at Walter Reed Medical Center with Melania
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump traveled to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to personally visit Sergeant First Class Alvaro Barrientos, a soldier wounded in Afghanistan.
The Trumps visited Barrientos and his wife as the president awarded him a Purple Heart.
“When I heard about this I wanted to do it myself,” Trump said. “Congratulations. Tremendous.”
Donald Trump, Alvaro Barrientos, Tammy Barrientos, Melania Trump … at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Saturday, April 22
The medal went to Sgt. 1st Class Alvaro Barrientos, who was wounded in action on March 17 in Afghanistan during what is now America’s longest war. The White House did not release Barrientos’ hometown.
Barrientos, whose right leg below the knee had been amputated, was brought into a hospital atrium in a wheelchair, accompanied by his wife, Tammy.
Trump kissed Barrientos’ wife before pinning the medal on the sergeant’s left shirt collar, grasping Barrientos by the shoulders and then shaking his hand. The Purple Heart is awarded to service members who are wounded or killed in action.
Besides Barrientos, Trump met privately with about a dozen service members who are receiving care at the medical center.
Before leaving the White House, the president tweeted that he looked forward to “seeing our bravest and greatest Americans.”