Trump Presents Mexican Border Defense Medal at White House
Washington | Dec. 15, 2025 | By Matthew Olay
President Donald J. Trump on Monday awarded 13 soldiers and Marines with the newly established Mexican Border Defense Medal during a ceremony at the White House, recognizing their service along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The medal, created on Aug. 13, 2025, through a memorandum signed by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, honors service members who deployed with Joint Task Force Southern Border. Their mission involved supporting the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The award applies retroactively to service beginning Jan. 20, 2025.
Trump Highlights Border Security Mission
Speaking before presenting the medals, Trump said border protection became a central mission of the U.S. military from the start of his administration.
“On Day One, I signed an executive order making the defense of the homeland a core military mission,” the president said. “Today, we honor the men and women who played a key role in securing our border.”
Trump added that border security remained a major focus of his recent presidential campaign and praised the military’s performance.
“They’re unbelievable,” he said. “They make us all look good.”
Hegseth Praises Frontline Efforts
Earlier in the day, Hegseth met with the award recipients at the Pentagon, where he emphasized the importance of the border mission.
He said the service members deserved national recognition for their role in defending the country and credited their work with helping reduce illegal crossings along the southern border.
According to Hegseth, troops carried out a wide range of duties, including reinforcing fencing, installing concertina wire, and conducting patrols. He described the mission as a key element of homeland defense.
“This is not a secondary mission,” he told the group. “This is the front line of defending the United States.”
Medal Revives Historic Design
Hegseth also explained that the Mexican Border Defense Medal mirrors the original Mexican Border Service Medal, first issued in 1918 to U.S. troops involved in operations against forces led by Pancho Villa during the Mexican Revolution.
He noted that about 25,000 service members currently qualify for the new medal.
Service Members Reflect on Recognition
Several award recipients said the recognition validated their efforts and highlighted the mission’s impact.
Army Sgt. Jhonier Marin, a reservist with the 808th Engineer Company, said the experience felt deeply meaningful after months of service near El Centro, California, and Eagle Pass, Texas.
Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Zeth Collins, who supported the mission as a welder and boom operator, said seeing the results of the work made the experience especially rewarding.
Before the medal’s reintroduction, service members assigned to border operations received the Armed Forces Service Medal.
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