President Donald Trump delivered a speech on Wednesday afternoon, joking about awarding the Congressional Medal of Honor to himself and his two sons, referring to the scenario as a "threesome." The remarks occurred during a dedication ceremony for the new Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in North Dakota.
Trump was speaking about the legacy of President Theodore Roosevelt and the father-son duo Arthur and Douglas MacArthur, both of whom received the nation's highest military award. He then turned his attention to his own sons, who were present, and riffed on genetics before making the controversial comment. "As I see my two beautiful sons sitting there, I think I'm going to give one to myself and one to them. We'll have a threesome. I'll pick out one of the two. I'll give them the congressional medal of honor for something," Trump said.
He added, "I'll get one for taking on Russia, Russia, Russia or something. We'll have a third pair. No, I'm only kidding... this is dangerous to say because the fake news is up there." The audience reportedly laughed at the remarks, though the use of the word "threesome" in this context quickly drew attention.
The visit to North Dakota also marked the inaugural flight of the newly commissioned Air Force One jet, which was gifted to the United States by Qatar. This event is part of the administration's celebrations for America's 250th anniversary.
The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library is scheduled to open to the public on Independence Day, July 4th, coinciding with the nation's semiquincentennial celebrations.