President Awards Border Defense Medal to Soldiers and Marines

According to a press release from the U.S. Department of War, President Donald J. Trump presented the newly established Mexican Border Defense Medal to 13 soldiers and Marines in a White House ceremony. This medal recognizes service members deployed to the U.S.-Mexico border as part of Joint Task Force Southern Border, providing military support to the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The medal was established via a memo signed by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on August 13, 2025, and is backdated to January 20, 2025.

President Trump stated that protecting and defending the homeland has been a core mission of the U.S. military since the first day of his administration. He emphasized the importance of border security, a key issue during his presidential campaign, and commended the military personnel for their exceptional work in ensuring the nation’s safety.

“On Day 1 of my administration, I signed an executive order making it [the] core mission of the United States military to protect and defend the homeland, and today we’re here to honor our military men and women for their central role in the protection of our border,” Trump said prior to the presentation of the medals.

Secretary Hegseth also addressed the significance of the border mission, describing it as a critical aspect of defending the United States within its own hemisphere. He noted the efforts of service members in tasks such as installing concertina wire, reinforcing fencing, and patrolling the border, highlighting that their work has contributed to a reported six months of effectively zero crossings on the southern border.

“I think it’s really cool that the folks that we have here … get a chance to stand there with their commander in chief in front of the country, for this incredible mission, which started on Day 1 of this administration,” Hegseth told the group.

The Mexican Border Defense Medal is a replica of the original Mexican Border Service Medal, first created in 1918 to honor U.S. troops who fought during the Mexican Revolution. Secretary Hegseth indicated that approximately 25,000 service members currently qualify for this new award. Several recipients expressed their honor at being recognized for their contributions. They shared that seeing the tangible impact of their efforts on the border mission was astonishing and that they felt their work directly benefited the country. The medal serves as a recognition of these service members’ dedication to what is described as the front line of national defense.

“It’s an absolute honor, you know, because I have a lot [of friends] out there [on the border] that do a lot of good on this mission, and to see that what we do is actually making an impact and seeing the result is absolutely astonishing; it’s awesome,” said Army Sgt. Jhonier Marin, a reservist assigned to the 808th Engineer Company who spent months patrolling the border near El Centro, California, and Eagle Pass, Texas.

Prior to the establishment of the Mexican Border Defense Medal, service members deployed to the border were recognized with the Armed Forces Service Medal.

Article by Ken Buckler, based upon information from the U.S. Department of War

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