Eric Slover Medal of Honor: Chief Warrant Officer and Captain Royce Williams Honored at State of the Union
President Donald Trump made history Tuesday night at the 2026 State of the Union address, presenting the Congressional Medal of Honor to two American military heroes — Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Eric Slover and retired Navy Captain Royce Williams. It marked the first time in U.S. history that the Medal of Honor was presented during a State of the Union address.
Chief Warrant Officer Eric Slover: Hero of the Maduro Raid
Trump paid tribute to Chief Warrant Officer 5 Eric Slover, crediting his conduct during the January raid that saw U.S. forces extract Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from Caracas to face trial. "The deeds of one warrior that night will live forever in the eternal chronicles of military valor," Trump told a joint session of Congress.
Slover served as flight lead aboard the first Chinook helicopter to approach Maduro's heavily fortified Caracas compound under the cover of night. The CH-47 Chinook was carrying a full complement of American special operations forces deep into enemy territory when the mission turned life-threatening.
How Eric Slover Was Wounded During the Chinook Mission
Trump said enemy machine guns fired from every angle as the Chinook prepared to land. "Eric was hit very badly in the leg and hip, one bullet after another," Trump said. "He absorbed four agonizing shots, shredding his leg into numerous pieces."
Despite his catastrophic wounds, delivering the commandos who would capture and detain Maduro was the only thing Slover was thinking about, Trump told lawmakers, as blood poured down the aisle of the aircraft. The Chief Warrant Officer kept the Chinook airborne and completed the landing, directly enabling the success of the operation.
Slover appeared at the address using a walker, still in his dress uniform and still on active duty, accompanied by his wife Amy. Lieutenant General Jonathan Braga, commanding general of Joint Special Operations Command, placed the Medal of Honor around Slover's neck in the House gallery as Trump looked on. Trump added that ten other service members involved in the Maduro raid would receive medals at a separate White House ceremony.
Captain Royce Williams: A 100-Year-Old Legend Finally Honored
On November 18, 1952, Williams launched from the deck of the USS Oriskany in his F9F-5 Panther fighter aircraft and found himself in a solo dogfight against seven Soviet MiG-15 jets. The engagement, conducted off the coast of the Korean Peninsula, lasted more than half an hour against overwhelming odds.
Williams led the takedown of four enemy jets and almost destroyed the others, sustaining serious injuries to himself and absorbing 263 bullets to his own aircraft during the battle. His story was kept classified for over 50 years to avoid inflaming Cold War tensions with the Soviet Union.
First Lady Melania Trump presented Captain Royce Williams with the Congressional Medal of Honor as Trump called Williams a "living legend" who served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Williams, now 100 years old, received a prolonged standing ovation from both sides of the aisle.
A Historic Night: First Medal of Honor Presented at State of the Union
The ceremony on Tuesday evening marked the first time a Medal of Honor has been presented during a State of the Union address. The dual recognition drew rare bipartisan applause in a chamber often bitterly divided along party lines.
The path to Williams' long-overdue honor was paved by the "Valor Has No Expiration Act," which eliminated the five-year statute of limitations for Medal of Honor consideration, creating a pathway for extraordinary feats from earlier wars or previously classified records to receive formal recognition. For both Slover and Williams, Tuesday night was the nation finally catching up to their courage.
