Trump signs Medal of Honor Monument bill while visiting NMOHM in Arlington Thursday

The National Medal of Honor Monument is to be built on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., near the Lincoln Memorial.

While visiting the National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington on Thursday, President Donald Trump signed legislation that calls for the National Medal of Honor Monument to be built on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

"With this museum and a new monument in Washington, D.C., America will never, ever forget what they did and what they risk and how much they risked, what they've meant to their families and what they've meant to our country," Trump said.

S.858, aka the Hershel ‘Woody' Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act, was a bipartisan piece of legislation named in honor of the last surviving World War II Medal of Honor Recipient that said the monument shall be placed near the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall.

According to the museum, it was Lincoln who created the Medal of Honor and said its location would serve "not only as a respectful extension of Lincoln’s legacy ... but also as a tribute to what ordinary people can accomplish when working for the greater good."

Before signing the bill, the president visited with more than a dozen Medal of Honor recipients and toured the museum -- recently named the Best New Museum in America by USA Today and one of the World’s Most Beautiful Museums by the Prix Versailles.

“I have often been asked how it is possible this project didn't already exist, and the answer is because America needs these unifying and uplifting examples today more than ever,” said Charlotte Jones, chairman of the NMOHMF Board of Directors. “One must need not look any further for evidence of that unifying power than this legislation – which has required eight votes in Congress over six years, 100% of which were unanimous. That is the aspirational power of the Medal of Honor and the values it represents. That is why the National Medal of Honor Monument matters so much. It was a privilege to host President Trump, a true and trusted friend of the Medal of Honor, for today’s signing ceremony.”

Jones also announced that the president agreed to become an honorary director of the museum and was presented with the foundation's Champion of Honor Award for his commitment to the legislation and for ensuring that the recipients of the Medal of Honor are recognized on the National Mall.

With the bill signed, the National Park Service will identify a specific site near the Lincoln Memorial. Meanwhile, the NMOHMF will launch a design competition that takes into account the surrounding sightlines to other monuments.

The museum said the National Medal of Honor Monument will be designed to serve as a permanent testament to the service and sacrifice of the Medal's recipients and as a place for every American to reflect on and be inspired by the values that unite us as a country.

“President Trump and Members of Congress from both parties have united around a project that represents the spirit of selfless service our country so desperately needs. I’m very proud that the National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act has never had a single vote in Congress cast against it," said Maj. General Patrick Brady (Ret.), Medal of Honor Recipient and member of the NMOHMF Board of Directors. "The Monument ensures the service and sacrifice of Medal of Honor Recipients, and all those we served alongside, will forever have a place of honor in America’s front yard, inspiring generations to come with the timeless values of courage, commitment, integrity and patriotism. This Monument is about values over valor – the American ideals we all strive to live up to. I’m eternally grateful to everyone who made this day possible.”

Of the 40 million Americans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, fewer than 4,000 have earned the Medal of Honor. Of those, only 65 are living.

Congress first unanimously voted to create the monument in 2021. It will be built without federal funds, relying on the museum foundation to raise the money to cover the project's costs.