President Donald Trump issued a Presidential Unit Citation to the Fort Bragg-based team that participated in the raid on terror leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
According to Bloomberg News’ Josh Wingrove, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told press about the move Thursday as they headed back to Washington aboard Air Force One. (RELATED: President Trump Awards Medal Of Honor To Army Sergeant Who Saved 75 ISIS Hostages)
“Trump awarded the presidential unit citation today at Fort Bragg to the team that conducted the al-Baghdadi raid, @PressSec told press on the plane back to DC,” Wingrove tweeted. “He met with soldiers and paid respects at a special forces memorial while at Fort Bragg, she said.”
Trump awarded the presidential unit citation today at Fort Bragg to the team that conducted the al-Baghdadi raid, @PressSec told press on the plane back to DC.
He met with soldiers and paid respects at a special forces memorial while at Fort Bragg, she said. pic.twitter.com/ohOKdXYQf9
— Josh Wingrove (@josh_wingrove) October 30, 2020
Reuters White House correspondent Jeff Mason shared the news as well, saying, “@realDonaldTrump met Army special operations forces in North Carolina and awarded a presidential citation to those who conducted the al-Baghdadi raid a year ago.”
.@realDonaldTrump met Army special operations forces in North Carolina and awarded a presidential citation to those who conducted the al-Baghdadi raid a year ago, @PressSec told reporters on Air Force One on flight back to Washington. https://t.co/9glmLDVrgw
— Jeff Mason (@jeffmason1) October 30, 2020
From @PressSec: While in North Carolina this evening, President @realDonaldTrump met with Army special operations forces. He gave the presidential unit citation to our heroes who conducted the Al-Baghdadi raid a year ago in Syria. ????????
— Judd Deere (@JuddPDeere45) October 30, 2020
President Trump made the stop in North Carolina on his way back to the White House from campaign events in his home state of Florida.
According to the Army, the criteria for the Presidential Unit Citation are as follows:
The Presidential Unit Citation is awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and co-belligerent nations for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy occurring on or after 7 December 1941. The unit must display such gallantry, determination, and esprit de corps in accomplishing its mission under extremely difficult and hazardous conditions as to set it apart and above other units participating in the same campaign.
The Presidential Unit Citation, then called the Distinguished Unit Citation, was created by executive order in February of 1942, and was initially awarded by the Secretary of War in the president’s name.