by Sharon Rondeau
(Dec. 15, 2025) — Shortly after 3:00 p.m. EST Monday, President Donald Trump commenced an address from the White House in which he commended the U.S. military for its role in protecting the nation’s borders and announced the awarding of the “Mexican Border Defense Medal.”
He spoke specifically about the increased security at the U.S.-Mexico border, saying the U.S. does “not put up with” illegal aliens attempting to enter the country with deadly drugs.
“We’re dismantling the cartels very rapidly,” he said. “It is indeed an incredible and historic operation. Illegal border crossings have plummeted to the lowest in the history of our country.”
“Many of” the “25 million” who crossed into the U.S. during the Biden regime were from jails and mental institutions in their home countries, he said. “We took the worst border in our country and in a matter of two months, we turned it into the safest border.”
“We executed the largest fentanyl bust,” he continued, and “another in Colorado,” which at that point he diverted to say is a “badly-run state.” That was quickly followed by his decrying of the continued incarceration of former Mesa County, CO Clerk Tina Peters. “She caught people cheating in our election,” he said, referring to the 2020 presidential election, and described Gov. Jared Polis as “a coward.” He then promised, “You’ll hear more about that,” meaning the election.
Late last week, Trump issued a pardon to Peters, though there are questions as to its relevance to the state charges on which she was indicted. She has appealed the conviction at the state level and filed a federal habeas corpus petition. Her attorneys, citing “declining” health, last month requested an expedited ruling.
In August last year, Peters, 70, was sentenced to nearly nine years in prison on “three counts of attempting to influence a public official; conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation; official misconduct; violation of duty; and failure to comply with an order of the Secretary of State,” according to the Colorado Sun.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons requested Peters be transferred from state custody but was rebuffed.
In a recent interview with Politico, Trump said the “evidence” that he won the 2020 election would be forthcoming “over the next couple of months, too, loud and clear ’cause we have all the information and everything.” He repeated that claim at a White House function on Sunday.
“Today, I’m taking one more step to protect Americans” from the effects of fentanyl with an executive order, Trump said.
At 3:30 p.m., Secretary of War Pete Hegseth took to the podium, stating, “Border security is national security…nobody is crossing the southern border.”
He explained the MBDM is revived from the year 1918, when it was originally awarded, and echoed Trump’s earlier statement that 13 military members would receive it.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. “Raizin Caine” spoke briefly, followed by Border “Czar” Tom Homan, who immediately said Trump is “the best president in his lifetime.”
“He gave us the most secure border in the history of this nation. I went through hundreds of miles of border and didn’t see one illegal alien,” he said of a recent survey he said he conducted of the area.
He said the Biden administration was “not more humane” in its border policies. It was “the most inhumane thing I’ve ever seen in my lifetime,” he said, decrying what he said consisted of sex trafficking, rape, the carrying of fentanyl and other crimes during the Biden years.
“We all work together, one team, one fight,” and “we’ve saved thousands and thousands of lives,” he concluded his remarks.
Hegseth then presented the awards to the 13 military members, who accepted them with a handshake and stood at attention while Trump signed the executive order.
“What you’ve done is unprecedented,” he said, handing the EO to one of the servicemen standing behind him to display.
“I’m going to give you another medal now,” he said, at first directing himself to the female member, who took it and thanked him, as did the Marine to her right. He then handed the same to each of the remaining 11.
He awarded them to two generals, including Caine, in what might have been a surprise to the them.
“I haven’t done this before,” Trump said, standing up, again stating illegals are “no longer getting through.”
“We want people in our country, but they have to come in legally,” he said. “The caravans are very small; in fact, they don’t even exist because they know they’re not getting in…”
He then invoked his earlier threatened legal action against the BBC for “putting words in my mouth” regarding his speech on January 6, 2021 in a montage which was edited and, according to Trump, were defamatory. The lawsuit will be filed within the next few days, he suggested.
As the troops filed out at 3:43 p.m., Trump took questions from reporters.
To a question about Saturday’s fatal attack in Palmyra, Syria on U.S. security forces, Trump said it “had nothing to do with” the new Syrian president, Ahmed al-Sharaa’s administration, but rather “was ISIS.”
In response to what his administration will do, Trump said, “They’ll be hit hard.”
Other questions followed on numerous topics, including the Ukraine-Russia war and concluding with one on tariffs. In customary form, Trump staunchly defended his imposition of foreign tariffs, stating they have made the country more secure and prosperous.
At 4:00 p.m., he ended the event.