Return to Transcripts main page
Inside Politics
Trump Holds Medal Of Honor Ceremony Amid War With Iran; Trump: Iran With Long-Range Missiles And Nukes Is Intolerable Threat; Trump To CNN: The Big Wave Of Attacks In Iran Is Yet To Come. Aired 12- 12.30p ET
Aired March 02, 2026 - 12:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[12:00:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: We had millions and millions of people pouring into our country. Now that -- I mean I'm not even sure I can believe this number is zero but it is given out by Democrats, Democrats from the left, and they rated for the last nine months, we had zero people come illegally through our border, right Tom? So I want to thank you very much.
And I also want to salute six former Medal of Honor recipients, William Swenson, Jim McCloughan, Walter Marm, Thomas Payne, Sammy Davis. That's an interesting, guys. And where is Sammy Davis? You have a big story here, Sammy, you've heard that all your life. I'll bet, huh. And Edward Byers, stand up, please. Very good. Very good.
You all look good. You all look good. We remember the ceremonies. Oh, great. It's a great -- it's a great honor. There's no greater I tried for myself. I've tried numerous times to get one by myself, I keep getting shut down. They say you can't do it, sir, bad protocol. Very bad. I would say the worst, but I'm only kidding. You have to say I'm only kidding, otherwise the press will come out with -- which they actually did one Donald Trump wants the Congressional Medal of Honor, but he's been shut down.
But no, you are brave, amazing people, and I want to thank you all. In 1941, Roddie Edmonds of Knoxville, Tennessee, enlisted in the U.S. Army, and soon rose to one of the youngest Master Sergeants in the military. In 1944, he sailed to Europe to fight in World War II, and he was so enthusiastic and young and full of vim and vigor. Roddie soon found himself on the front lines of the Battle of the Bulge. That was a big one.
Massively outnumbered by enemy forces, his 1200 soldier unit fort valiantly until they were completely overrun. The force was massive on the other side, many times number. After a four-day death march, one that was covered very well by the history books through bitter cold, they were put into a German POW camp. Roddie was the top ranking infantryman in the camp.
He was number one, meaning he was responsible for the lives of his fellow service members. On July 26, 1945, a Nazi SS officer issued an order over the camp loudspeaker, loud and strong. He said that only American Jews were to show up to roll call following this morning.
He added, all who disobey this order will be shot immediately. There were more than 200 Jewish American soldiers in the camp, and Roddie knew their separation from the group would mean certain death. So that night, he summoned his team and devised a plan. The next morning, all 1200 American men fell in line together, shoulder to shoulder.
Enraged, the Nazi Commandant rushed forward, drew his Luger pistol and pressed the barrel between Sergeant Edmonds' eyes. He barked at Roddie, they cannot all be Jews. He screamed loud and again and again, and staring straight back into the raging face of evil.
Sergeant Edmonds replied fearlessly, we are all Jews here, the Nazi officer lowered his weapon, and the soldiers erupted in cheers. With total disregard for his own life, Roddie had saved over 200 of his fellow service members. Their camp was liberated two months later. We are honored to be joined today by Roddie's son, Chris. Please stand up as --
Thank you, Chris. Today, your father gets the honor he so courageously earned and really amazing, right, it's an amazing story. Congratulations to the family of Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds.
The next two we recognize today served in the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment of the 1st Infantry Division, better known as Big Red One. Do you know about that, Pete, right? Command Sergeant Major Terry Richardson, we are honored to have you with us.
[12:05:00]
On September 12, 1968, 102 brave men of Terry's Alpha company were asked with securing Hill 222, deep behind the enemy's line in Vietnam. They didn't know it at the time, had no idea, but the area was totally infested with nearly 300 enemy bunkers and many, many enemy soldiers, far outnumbering them by at least four, five, even six to one. As Terry led Lima Platoon up Hill 222, the enemy launched an ambitious and violent attack, unleashing a withering fire of machine guns and rocket propelled grenades, just didn't stop. Just kept coming.
Pinned down in hell on earth, Terry summoned unimaginable courage. Three times he exposed himself to enemy fire to rescue severely wounded comrades, and three times he dragged them back to the group. Terry soon realized that the 82 remaining men had one chance of survival, that was air support.
Acting without regard of his own life, he grabbed a radio and charged up Hill 222, alone. He needed to be there. It was the only place you'd get reception. He withstood a storm of enemy bullets eventually reaching the top, where he spent the next eight hours calling in tactical strikes, completely exposed.
An hour in an enemy sniper shot rang out and the bullet tore through his right leg violently. He was in bad shape, but Terry disregarded that and pushed through, and after seven more hours of calling in American fire from above, the enemy retreated. Later that day his team found him with both ear drums totally ruptured
and a mangled right leg and foot, but still barely living, but living nevertheless. Due to Terry's actions above and beyond the call of duty, 82 men Alpha Companies survived this battle, including two in this room, Norm Meier and Dave Himmer, where are you? Do you want to stand up? Norm and Dave? Where's Norm and Dave?
That' pretty good. Pretty good. And that story is 100 percent correct, isn't it? See, pretty -- it's -- how much have you paid him over the years? Have you -- have you said, Take everything we have. We wouldn't be here, right? That's great. That's a great story. Terry, today you entered the ranks of the Bravest Warriors ever to stride the face of the earth. Please stand up. Please. Thank you.
That's great, Terry. That's a great, brave man. I met him back there. He -- he's central casting. Look at him. He looks great. He looks great. You feel like fighting? We could -- I think we could take him today. What do you think, Pete? Make a little -- we'll make a little deal with him, as you are, a brave man.
Finally, we honor one more American soldier, a fallen warrior of world of wars and really -- a really terror Staff Sergeant Michael Ollis, born in 1988 on Staten Island and Michael grew up seeing the World Trade Center across the bay. I know Staten Island so well. The people in Staten Island are amazing.
After 911, Michael enlisted in the Army, and by 24-years old, he was in, he was -- he was locked in. He loved it. He wanted it so badly. He was a squad leader serving in Afghanistan with the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat team of the legendary 10th Mountain Division.
On August 28, 2013, terrorists detonated a 400-pound car bomb on the east wall of the Forward Operating Base Kansi (sic)[Ghazni], ripping open a 60-foot wide breach into a compound that housed NATO coalition forces, a lot of them.
[12:10:00]
10 Taliban fighters wearing suicide vests swarmed through. From across the compound, Michael saw the pillar of white smoke rising and ran to join the fight, rushing without his gear, wearing almost no gear, no Kevlar helmet, no body armor, just one magazine in his rifle. Along the way, he encountered a Polish soldier, and together they advanced under heavy fire, very, very heavy fire.
At one point, shrapnel ripped through the Polish soldier's legs, rendering him unable to walk, very, very severely hurt. In that chaos of gun fire, explosions and charred human remains, a terrorist insurgent appeared rounding a corner with his suicide vest, fully armed, and you could see it. It was going to happen. He charged the wounded Polish soldier. Without hesitation, Michael raised his gun and forced himself between the insurgent and the man he just met, shielding him with his own body.
He knew what was going to happen. He shielded him with his own body. You know, bravery is amazing. You never really know who's brave who's not, until they're really tested. We think some people are brave, Pete and they're not. We think others aren't, and they are. You never know, but he was tested. That's called the ultimate test, right?
And in perhaps his final heartbeat, Michael fired his weapon and the terrorist detonated his best simultaneously. Staff Sergeant Ollis was killed just weeks before his 25th birthday, and nobody was any more brave than that. In his final act on Earth, Michael absorbed the blast, sparing the life of that Polish warrior who we are grateful to have in the room with us today, Second Lieutenant Karol Cierpica, Karol Cierpica. Where are you, Karol?
Hey. Would you like to come up? Please, please. I'd love to have you come up. Thank you, Karol.
LT. KAROL CIERPICA, POLISH ARMY OFFICER: Mr. President, (inaudible), Prime Minister (inaudible) of National Defense, distinguished guests, everyone gathered here today. Dear my [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Michael and Jacob, especially dear Linda and Robert and the entire Ollis family. What do you have that you did not receive?
This is how I would like to begin this few words to speak to you all here. In this special place and on the occasion of this incredibly important ceremony, one that is significant for many, but truly especially expectational for me, is a particular privilege and a greater honor.
Above all, however, it is my commitment. It is part of my new mission, which began 13 years ago. A soldier is not something you are from time to time. Is -- it is who you are -- who you are forever. It is just like you are not a mother, a father, a sister and brother or as -- only for a moment. These are not roles given to us for a while. They are a great gift, but also a great life-long commitment.
Yes, (inaudible) today, my commitment and my great -- greatest gift, is to cultivate the memory of true, heroic act of courage that I witnessed performed by your beloved son, Michael.
Please forgive me if my words have not fully captured what I truly feel today. However, sometimes words are simply not enough. I am deeply moved, happy and grateful to God for my service, for my parents, for my family, for my beloved homeland Poland, for my second family from Staten Island and for my second home in America.
[12:15:00]
God bless you all. Michael, for you, thank you for your service, and I will see you in our heavenly homeland. Thank you for your service. Thank you so much.
[APPLAUSE]
TRUMP: And Karol is joined by his wife and their two wonderful sons, Jacob and Michael. Michael is named after the American hero who saved his father's life. So stand up, Michael. You can't be seen. That's great. We're also pleased to be joined by several members of the Polish
government, including representatives of the president, who I think is a fantastic man, by the way. I must be honest with you, I endorsed him, and he won, and he came from behind. He won, and he was the biggest story in Europe, and he's going to be a great president.
He already is, but as well as Poland's Minister of Defense, to honor the blood and sacrifice that has helped seal the Polish American bond, we have a great bond. We have a great relationship with your country. And I just want to -- thank you to Michael's parents, Bob and Linda. Your son's selflessness in the face of real evil reminds us of the courage that keeps our country free.
And I just said, the genetics in that family are very strong, right? I said that before. All three families, I said, good, I see some of the young ones today, and I said, you have good genes. They were asking me, what does that mean? I said, don't worry about it. You'll figure it out.
But you have the best genes you can have, actually. So thank you for giving America your beloved son. And now I would like to ask the military aide to come forward and read the citations, and then we will do the honors. Thank you all very much. This is a tremendous honor for me to be here. Thank you. Please military aide.
[APPLAUSE]
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Chris Edmonds, accepting on behalf of his father, Master Sergeant Roderick W. Edmonds.
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has posthumously awarded, in the name of Congress, the Medal of Honor to Master Sergeant Roderick W. Edmonds, United States Army. Master Sergeant Roderick W. Edmonds distinguished himself by acts of gallantry above and beyond the call of duty from January -- January 27, 1945, to March 30, 1945, as a prisoner of war in Germany.
Upon arrival at Stalag IX-A in Ziegenhain, Germany. On the evening of January 26, 1945, the Germans announced that only Jewish American prisoners would fall out for roll call, the following morning. At the threat of execution, Master Sergeant Edmonds directed his senior leaders to have all 1200 American prisoners present themselves for roll call.
The Nazi Commandant became incredulous after realizing that so many Americans were standing in formation. The Commandant removed his pistol, pressed it hard against Master Sergeant Edmonds forehead, between his eyes, and demanded that he order all Jewish American prisoners to step forward, or he would be shot.
Master Sergeant Edmonds fearlessly held his ground, refusing to concede. The Commandant lowered his weapon without further attempts to segregate the Jewish American prisoners. Several weeks later, in March 1945, the Germans ordered all prisoners to assemble outside the barracks for evacuation. Master Sergeant Edmonds ordered all American prisoners to form in
front of the barracks, and when the enemy transports arrived, they would break ranks and rush back to the barracks. Master Sergeant Edmonds gallantly led these prisoners in a relentless pursuit of opposition and resistance, forcing the Germans to abandon the camp, leaving the 1200 American prisoners behind.
Master Sergeant Edmonds' conspicuous gallantry, above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.
[12:20:00]
[APPLAUSE]
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Command Sergeant Major Terry P. Richardson. The President of the United States of America authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded, in the name of Congress, the Medal of Honor to Staff Sergeant Terry P. Richardson, United States Army. Staff Sergeant Terry P. Richardson distinguished himself by acts of gallantry above and beyond the call of duty on September 14, 1968, in the vicinity of Loc Ninh, Republic of Vietnam.
On this date, his company was tasked with the mission of securing Hill 222, in hostile and enemy territory near the Cambodian border. Staff Sergeant Richardson directed one of his squads to be the point element leading the way. Shortly after the assault began, three of his squad members became severely wounded and pinned down between three enemy machine gun bunkers.
Staff Sergeant Richardson advanced forward under a heavy enemy fire and recovered his wounded soldiers between heavy machine gun fire. By the time he was able to make it back to join his unit, his entire company had been completely surrounded by the enemy. Staff Sergeant Richardson recognized that the only way to keep his company from being overrun was with accurate tactical air strikes.
Staff Sergeant Richardson advanced to the top of Hill, 222, under heavy enemy fire for better sight lines to direct the tactical air strikes. He began to direct the tactical air strikes, and shortly thereafter, became wounded by an enemy sniper. Staff Sergeant Richardson continued directing the tactical air strikes for seven more hours between -- before the enemy broke contact.
Six soldiers from his platoon found him still alive. Staff Sergeant Richardson declined medical evaluation for his gunshot wound and requested that he be allowed to stay to lead his soldiers. Altogether, his actions directly resulted in 85 lives being spared on that fateful day. Staff Sergeant Richardson's conspicuous gallantry and extraordinary heroism at the risk of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.
[APPLAUSE] UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Robert and Linda Ollis accepting on behalf of
their son, Staff Sergeant Michael H. Ollis. The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has posthumously awarded in the name of Congress, the Medal of Honor to Staff Sergeant Michael H. Ollis, United States Army.
Staff Sergeant Michael H. Ollis distinguished himself by acts of gallantry above and beyond the call of duty on 28 August 2013 in Afghanistan. On this day, a complex enemy attack involving multiple vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices, suicide vests, indirect fire and small arms fire was launched against Forward Operating Base Ghazni.
Staff Sergeant Ollis ordered his federal -- fellow soldiers to move to bunkers to shield themselves from enemy fire. After accounting for his soldiers, he moved toward the enemy force that had penetrated the perimeter of the Forward Operating Base. Staff Sergeant Ollis located a coalition forces officer, and together, they moved toward the point of attack, armed with only their rifles. Upon reaching the attack point, they linked up with other friendly forces and began a coordinated effort to repulse the enemy.
[12:25:00]
While under continuous fire, Staff Sergeant Ollis moved from position to position, engaging the enemy with accurate and effective fire. While fighting along the perimeter, an insurgent came around the corner. Staff Sergeant Ollis fired on the insurgent and incapacitated him, but as he approached the downed insurgent, the insurgent's suicide vest detonated and mortally wounded him.
Staff Sergeant Ollis' exceptional courage and complete disregard for personal safety were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon him his unit and the United States Army.
[APPLAUSE]
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DANA BASH, CNN ANCHOR: OK, we have been watching President Trump in the East Room of the White House giving three Medal of Honor presentations to three U.S. Army soldiers, and a very poignant ceremony there. Prior to that, what we saw was the President address the American people live on camera for the very first time since the U.S. and Israel launched a war on Iran, one that quickly decapitated its leadership and has also spiraled across the region.
President Trump said the war could last four to five weeks, or however long it takes to achieve his military objectives.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: This was our last best chance to strike, what we're doing right now and eliminate the intolerable threats posed by this sick and sinister regime -- regime, and they are indeed sick and sinister. We're already substantially ahead of our time projections. But whatever the time is, it's OK. Whatever it takes, we will always -- and we have from -- right from the get -- beginning, we projected four to five weeks, but we have capability to go far longer than that.
We'll do it. Whatever -- somebody said today, they said, oh, well, President wants to do it really quickly. After that, he'll get bored. I don't get bored. There's nothing boring about this. Do you agree with that, Pete? I don't think there's anything, Mr. Generals, I think there's nothing boring about it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Earlier today, the President told my colleague, Jake Tapper that the U.S. and Israel are, quote, knocking the crap out of Iran. And that quote, The Big Wave hasn't even happened. The Big One is coming soon. End quote.
In a separate interview this morning with the New York Post, the President said he wouldn't rule out sending in ground troops, quote, if they were necessary. I want to get to the White House. Our senior White House correspondent, Kristen Holmes, is there. Kristen, what is standing out to you this morning, first of all, in those first live remarks from the President, and also the other remarks he's been giving to reporters?
KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yeah Dana. I think that the real consequence of what President Trump just did, these live public remarks, this is really the first time we have an on the record description from President Trump of why we had gone in for the strikes. Why -- what the objectives are, what the timeline is. This will serve as that record, and history, of course, will judge based on what happens at the end of all of this.
Now, I did notice President Trump gave himself some wiggle room here. Nothing was definitive, and that's what we've seen, really across the board, in terms of four to five weeks. But then at one point he said part of the objective was to crush the leadership in Iran. They had already gotten through that, so they were ahead of schedule.
But then, as you noted, he also said it could go much longer. Of course, one of the things that he had noted was about this missile program, essentially saying that while they had obliterated the missile program back during the last strike, that they had warned Iran not to try and revive those capabilities, but that Iran did not listen that they were developing more of a missile program, a nuclear program.
They were trying to cover up a nuclear program. He, of course, as you noted, viewed this as the less -- last and best chance to eliminate the threat of Iran. I do want to note, he said -- he said one line about how they had already had missiles that were capable of reaching Europe, and soon those missiles would reach America. That, again, is not lined up with what we had reported, or are reporting from people who have seen the Intel, who said it would still be years until that happened. But I do want to go through just quickly, because I think Americans
are wanting to know. He did tick through what the objectives are and again, this leaves him room, because these are open to interpretation, or at least some of them are. Destroy missile capabilities and capacity to produce new ones, annihilating the Navy.
