Space Force colonel running for Congress slams Trump for making SOTU Medal of Honor awards ‘about himself’

Bree Fram, a retired Space Force officer and Democratic candidate for Congress in Virginia, delivered a blistering response to President Donald Trump’s more than 100-minute State of the Union address Tuesday night, accusing him of offering “delusion, division, and distraction” instead of solutions and arguing that Virginians deserve leaders who will “fight back” for everyday families.

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Fram, who is transgender and the highest-ranking out transgender person ever promoted to the rank of colonel in the U.S. military, brings a deeply personal history to the race. She was forced into retirement after Trump reinstated a ban on transgender people serving openly in the military. The policy has upended the careers of service members across the armed forces and has become one of the administration’s most controversial moves on LGBTQ+ rights.

Col. Bree Fram attends the Out100 Celebration at NeueHouse Hollywood on December 11, 2024 in Hollywood, California. Amy Sussman/Getty Images

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In a statement issued after the address, Fram said the president once again failed to grapple with the pressures facing households nationwide. “Americans are tired of empty, bloated promises from a president focused on lining his own pockets, protecting the Epstein class, and putting American livelihoods last,” she said. “What we heard tonight from this rudderless, lame-duck president was the same old routine—delusion, division, and distraction.”

Fram accused Trump of substituting spectacle for substance, saying he “highlighted the stories of people who his economic policies actively work against,” while continuing to push what she described as policies that benefit the wealthy few. “Families can’t afford more broken promises, tax cuts for the wealthy few, and power-hungry military adventurism,” she said.

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Her critique extended to the address's tone and staging. “MAGA loses more people every time they shut the door on real solutions for affordable housing, accessible health care, and our basic civil liberties,” Fram said. “Trump’s refusal to stand as the president of all Americans and instead choosing spectacle, scolding, and insults reveals that he does not lead, he only bullies.”

The speech included several high-profile military moments when Trump awarded the Medal of Honor to Chief Warrant Officer Eric Slover, a U.S. Army helicopter pilot wounded during a January raid targeting Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. Slover and his wife received a standing ovation in the House chamber as Trump described how the pilot continued flying despite severe injuries, praising his actions under fire. Trump also honored Navy Capt. Royce Williams, a 100-year-old South Dakota native whose 1952 Korean War mission remained classified for decades, presenting him with the nation’s highest military decoration to prolonged applause from lawmakers.

US First Lady Melania Trump presents US veteran Captain E. Royce Williams with the Medal of Honor during US President Donald Trump's the State of the Union address in the House Chamber of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on February 24, 2026. Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images

Trump said that he would give himself the medal as well, but that he’s barred by law from receiving it. Trump never served in the military and was spared from the draft during Vietnam because his doctor said he had bone spurs. The medal is awarded for extraordinary acts of valor during combat.

Fram said even moments meant to honor service and sacrifice were folded into a broader pattern of self-centered politics. “Even in the touching moments, such as the awarding of the Medal of Honor, Trump found ways to make it about himself,” she said.

She also made her pitch to voters explicit. “With the support of Virginians from Front Royal to Manassas Park, I’m running to be MAGA’s worst nightmare in Congress: an empathetic leader who listens to people, tells the truth, and isn’t afraid to fight back on behalf of all Americans,” Fram said.