WASHINGTON — In a town where flattery is currency, Republicans just minted a brand-new coin — and handed it straight to Donald Trump.
At Wednesday night’s glitzy National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) fundraiser in Washington, D.C., House Republicans didn’t just pass the hat — they passed out hardware.
Before Trump even took the stage, Speaker Mike Johnson warmed up the donor crowd with a full-throated tribute, portraying the president as a one-man repair crew for the nation.
“We wanted to do one thing before we bring the president out to the stage,” Johnson said, praising Trump for working “literally around the clock to fix every issue” and tackling “all the domestic problems.”
Then came the big reveal: a brand-new, never-before-seen honor tailor-made for the guest of honor.
“And we want to honor him in some small way, some token of our appreciation for his leadership. And so, tonight, we have created a new award. We’re going to do something we’ve never done before. We’re going to honor him with a new award that we’ll present annually from this point forward. But he is the suitable and fitting receipient of the first-ever America First Award. We could think of no better title for what that is. That’s this beautiful golden statue here. Appropriate for the new golden era in America.”
That’s right — a golden statue for what Johnson dubbed America’s “golden era.”
When Trump finally made his entrance, it was pure pageantry: he strode onstage to God Bless America, soaking in the applause like a headliner who knows exactly why the crowd paid to be there.
Back in December, FIFA cooked up a so-called “FIFA Peace Prize” and handed it to Trump after complaints about being overlooked for the Nobel Peace Prize. That award ultimately found its way back into Trump’s hands via Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado during a White House visit.
Mike Johnson: Tonight we have created a new award. We are going to do something we’ve never done before. pic.twitter.com/6WtuH5qTbg
— thedailybs w/ Snerdley (@thedailybs_Bo) March 26, 2026
