President Donald Trump is once again making headlines for an off-script remark, this time after joking about having a “threesome” with his two eldest sons during a speech at the dedication of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in North Dakota.
The comment came June 30 as Trump addressed attendees gathered in Medora for the opening of the new presidential library honoring the nation’s 26th president. Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump were seated in the audience as the president reflected on the rare distinction of fathers and sons who have both received the Medal of Honor.
Trump noted that only two father-son pairs have earned the nation’s highest military decoration: Theodore Roosevelt and Theodore Roosevelt Jr., as well as Arthur MacArthur and Douglas MacArthur.
Then the speech took an unexpected turn.
“As I see my two beautiful sons sitting there, I think I’m going to give one to myself, one to them, and we’ll have a threesome, OK?” Trump said.
The remark drew audible reactions from the audience before Trump quickly shifted gears.
Trump Quickly Clarifies The Joke
After the pause, Trump continued by joking that one of his sons deserved a Medal of Honor for “their genius at hunting,” while he should receive one himself for “taking on Russia, Russia, Russia.”
He then ended the bit by saying, “No, I’m only kidding.”
The president’s use of the word “threesome” immediately spread across social media, where many users fixated on the unintended double meaning rather than the point he appeared to be making about creating another father-and-son Medal of Honor pairing.
Neither Donald Trump Jr. nor Eric Trump has served in the U.S. military, and Trump himself also did not serve. The Medal of Honor is awarded to members of the armed forces who display extraordinary valor in combat, recognizing acts of courage performed at great personal risk.
A Running Medal Of Honor Bit
The joke wasn’t the first time Trump floated the idea of awarding himself the military honor that day.
Earlier during a ribbon-cutting ceremony, Trump presented Theodore Roosevelt’s Medal of Honor, which had been part of the White House collection, to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.
While speaking, he joked that he had considered giving the medal to himself.
“You know, I want to give one to myself, but they tell me… I’m allowed to,” Trump said.
He added that Donald Jr. and Eric ultimately convinced him otherwise because they couldn’t think of anything he had done that would qualify for the award.
The Medal of Honor recognizes “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty.”
A Speech Filled With Political Detours
Although the ceremony was intended to celebrate Theodore Roosevelt’s legacy, Trump’s remarks frequently wandered into familiar political territory.
He praised Roosevelt as a transformational leader before pivoting to comparisons between his own administration and former President Joe Biden’s, arguing that the United States is stronger under his leadership.
Elsewhere in the speech, Trump interrupted stories about Roosevelt to tout his administration’s border policies, criticize Spain’s contributions to NATO, attack Democratic political candidates and recount an anecdote about a police officer who supposedly thanked him for boosting the value of his 401(k), saying it had even improved his marriage.
The wide-ranging speech lasted roughly an hour and mixed prepared remarks with extended improvisation, a format that has become a hallmark of many of Trump’s public appearances.
The Theodore Roosevelt Library Opens
Trump traveled to North Dakota for the dedication after flying aboard the temporary presidential aircraft converted from a former Qatari royal jet that was gifted to the Defense Department.
From Bismarck, he boarded Marine One before taking a short ride on a Freedom 250-themed train to the library site, accompanied by horseback riders dressed as Theodore Roosevelt’s famed Rough Riders.
During the visit, Trump praised Roosevelt as “a great man” and called the new library “a great place.”
He also told reporters the visit had given him “some ideas” for his own future presidential library, which is planned for Miami.
Unlike the official presidential libraries administered by the National Archives, the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library is independently operated and serves as a museum and educational center rather than a federal archival repository.
Still, it wasn’t the opening of the new institution that dominated conversation online. Instead, Trump’s off-the-cuff “threesome” remark quickly became the moment many viewers remembered most from the day’s events.
