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Donald Trump presented the Medal of Honor to three veterans recognized for acts of heroism in Vietnam and Afghanistan during a White House ceremony on June 18, but an unexpected moment involving one of the recipients quickly drew attention online. The president honored retired Army Major Nicholas Dockery alongside Marine Corps Major James Capers Jr. and the late Marine Corps Colonel John W. Ripley. However, when it came time to place the nation’s highest military decoration around Dockery’s neck, Trump appeared to struggle for several minutes with the medal’s clasp. Unable to fasten it in the conventional manner, he eventually tied the ribbon into a knot, leaving the Medal of Honor sitting unusually tight around the retired major’s neck as cameras continued rolling.

The ceremony had begun on a lighter note. Before the awards were presented, Trump joked about the exclusivity of the distinction and briefly made himself the subject of the event. Addressing the audience, which included military leaders, veterans, administration officials and family members of the recipients, he said: «Only a few have received our highest military distinction… I wanted to give it to myself, but I was informed I couldn’t do it.» The remark generated laughter throughout the room before attention shifted to the stories of heroism that led to the awards. The Medal of Honor remains the highest military decoration awarded by the United States and is reserved for service members whose actions go above and beyond the call of duty in combat.

«Now that’s not coming off.»

-U.S. President, Donald Trump

The most talked-about moment of the ceremony came during Dockery’s presentation. Video footage showed Trump repeatedly attempting to secure the clasp behind the retired Army major’s neck before abandoning the effort. The president then tied the blue ribbon into a knot, securing the medal in place. As he finished, Trump appeared amused by the improvisation and told Dockery: «Now that’s not coming off.» Members of the audience laughed as the two men stood together on stage. Images from the ceremony later circulated online showing the ribbon tied in a visible knot while the medal rested tightly against Dockery’s neck, a detail that immediately became the focus of social media discussion.

The attention generated by the mishap overshadowed, at least temporarily, the reason Dockery was being recognized. The retired Army major received the Medal of Honor for actions during an intense battle in Afghanistan in 2012. According to military accounts, then-Lt. Dockery repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire while organizing defenses, rescuing fellow soldiers and helping repel a Taliban assault. His award followed years of advocacy from fellow service members and lawmakers who argued that his actions exceeded the criteria associated with the Silver Star he originally received. During the White House ceremony, officials highlighted his courage and leadership under fire as examples of the values represented by the Medal of Honor.

As clips of the ceremony spread online, reactions quickly divided along political lines. Critics mocked the appearance of the knot and the unusually tight fit of the ribbon around Dockery’s neck. One social media user wrote: «He’s about to choke the poor guy.» Others linked the incident to longstanding debates surrounding Trump’s age and physical abilities. One commenter joked: «Must be part of the cognitive test he aced.» Another added: «Wow he can tie a knot.» Some critics also argued that a similar mistake involving another president would have received far more coverage. One widely shared comment claimed that «the MAGA world would never shut up about it.» The incident became one of the most discussed moments of the ceremony despite lasting only a few minutes.

«Only a few have received our highest military distinction… I wanted to give it to myself, but I was informed I couldn’t do it.»

-U.S. President, Donald Trump

Supporters of the president pushed back against the criticism, arguing that the reaction was disproportionate compared with the significance of the event itself. Many noted that the ceremony was intended to honor American service members rather than focus on a brief logistical mishap involving a medal clasp. Others accused Trump’s critics of looking for controversy in an otherwise celebratory event. One social media user wrote: «Obama wore a tan suit and y’all called him unfit… they hate him so much they’ll make a controversy out of the littlest thing.» While the online debate continued, the White House ceremony ultimately marked a historic day for Dockery, Capers and Ripley, whose actions in combat earned one of the rarest and most respected distinctions in the United States military.

Controversy continues to surround the now complete restoration of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, where questions are mounting after Trump-connected companies Greenwater Services and Atlantic Industrial Coatings received federal contracts tied to the landmark’s troubled renovation. The two contracts, worth about $2 million and $15 million when rounded, have drawn new scrutiny after the pool turned bright green with algae and pieces of the newly applied blue coating began peeling and floating on the water only days after the project was completed on June 3. The problems have raised questions about the division of labor between the contractors, the speed of the work and the effectiveness of a combined project that was supposed to leave the historic site repaired, waterproofed and visibly transformed ahead of the country’s 250th anniversary celebrations.

Greenwater Services, an Ohio-based company tied to the investment trust of John J. Cafaro, a prominent Trump donor and Mar-a-Lago neighbor, was hired for the water purification portion of the project. Its contract, valued at about $1.7 million, did not cover painting or waterproofing the basin. The company was tasked instead with installing ozone nanobubbler technology meant to reduce algae by attacking the conditions that allow it to grow. The contract has drawn attention because Greenwater had no known previous federal contracting history and had previously worked on a swimming pool at a Trump golf property. The algae’s rapid return has placed that system under immediate scrutiny, even as federal officials have said the treatment is still operating and that the visible green water is part of a cleanup process.

«This will be the first time since the day it was built, 1922, that it has worked, and worked wonderfully, indeed!»

-U.S. President, Donald Trump on Truth Social

Atlantic Industrial Coatings received the much larger contract connected to the basin itself. The Virginia-based company was hired to repair leaks in the concrete slabs, waterproof the structural foundation and apply the dark blue coating requested by Donald Trump. The color, officially described as «American Flag Blue», became a central feature of the project after the administration promoted the restoration as a visible improvement to the National Mall landmark. The company’s contract was originally reported at a lower figure before the cost rose sharply, with federal records and public reporting placing the work at roughly $14.7 million. Its selection through an expedited no-bid process has fueled criticism, especially because Atlantic Industrial Coatings had also previously performed work at Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia.

The restoration’s public rollout changed quickly once the pool was refilled. Despite the new purification system, algae bloomed across the shallow water within days, turning the basin from blue to green and forcing National Park Service crews to intervene manually. Workers were seen scraping algae, collecting samples and using hydrogen peroxide treatments while the nanobubbler system remained part of the official response. A Department of the Interior spokesperson said the technology was «actively killing algae», and also said the hydrogen peroxide would have «no harmful side effects to marine life or to the environment.» White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers defended the plan, saying that «under regular NPS maintenance, a high-tech nanobubble ozone technology will be deployed to kill the algae and keep the Reflecting Pool crystal clear.» The visible results, however, continued to draw public attention.

Trump had personally promoted the project shortly before the water returned to the basin. On Truth Social, he wrote: «Excitingly, the final coat of protection will be completed on the Reflecting Pool that sits between The Washington Monument and The Lincoln Memorial, at 4 P.M., today. The water will start flowing, shortly thereafter. The walking paths outside of the Pool will, likewise, be cleaned, sandblasted, and finished soon. This will be the first time since the day it was built, 1922, that it has worked, and worked wonderfully, indeed!» His public involvement has made the problems more politically sensitive, particularly after he had previously posted AI-generated images involving the pool, including one showing himself in the landmark with members of his Cabinet and another depicting Democratic political figures submerged in the water.

«Excitingly, the final coat of protection will be completed on the Reflecting Pool that sits between The Washington Monument and The Lincoln Memorial, at 4 P.M., today. The water will start flowing, shortly thereafter. The walking paths outside of the Pool will, likewise, be cleaned, sandblasted, and finished soon.»

-U.S. President, Donald Trump on Truth Social

The controversy has now expanded beyond the algae and peeling blue material to the broader contracting process behind the restoration. Preservation advocates challenged the project in court, arguing that the administration moved forward without the review normally expected before altering a historic landmark. Senator Richard Blumenthal also questioned the Atlantic Industrial Coatings contract, writing that «The American people deserve to know whether excess taxpayer dollars are being used—without the authorization of Congress—to reward the President’s preferred partners and desecrate national landmarks.» The Reflecting Pool has struggled with leaks and algae for decades, but the latest restoration has become a sharper political issue because of its no-bid contracts, Trump-linked contractors, high cost and rapid visible problems. As crews continue efforts to clear the water, scrutiny remains focused on whether the project delivered what taxpayers were promised.

One of the greatest selling points of travel is its ability to cross-pollinate people from varying cultures and walks of life. When that cross-pollination reveals some major cultural differences, it’s inevitable that the internet will react to it.

Two Italian content creators, who traveled to the United States, are experiencing virality thanks to a bit of “culture shock” at a grocery store.

‘Biggest culture shock’

Italian language teachers Matteo Salvatori and Emiliano Santoro, who run a joint TikTok account for their online Italian school Lionfield (@ciaoitalianschool), posted a video that has more than 2 million views. In it, Santoro marveled over an American grocery phenomenon he’d only previously witnessed on the big screen.

“We have always seen it in movies and finally, we saw it in real life,” Santoro said to the camera as he stood in the milk aisle of a large grocery store.

Opening one of the refrigerator doors and hauling out a gallon of cow’s milk, he said, “The legendary gallon of milk.”

Laughing, Santoro showed the size of the milk carton to the camera.

“In my case, would last for one year because I drink this much milk every day,” he said, holding up his pointer finger and thumb close together to indicate how little milk he drinks. “Just for the cappuccino before 11.”

In their caption, Salvatori and Santoro wrote, “How long is it supposed to last?”

Commenters react: ‘Does Europe not eat cereal?’

Many Americans expressed their surprise that the humble gallon of milk could be such a source of delight for people from other countries.

“I did not realize a gallon of milk was not universal,” one commenter said.

“I didn’t realize a gallon of milk was so iconic!” echoed another viewer. “We go through a gallon of milk in like 4 days.”

“What size milk is in other countries?” asked one commenter. Another responded, “1 litre max.”

Some viewers tried to offer explanations for the practices of their respective countries, with both Americans and Europeans chiming in.

“There is not one household with kids that doesn’t have that gallon of milk in their refrigerator,” wrote an American. “We drink it, we cook with it, have our cereal with it and bake with it. I don’t understand the shock.”

Meanwhile, a European commenter shed light on the other side of the coin.

“Just to clarify for Americans, as a European immigrant that’s been here for a while, in Europe grocery shopping is a daily thing,” they wrote. “You go get fresh bread, milk, meat and produce daily, maybe every other day. We don’t really do large shopping unless it’s dried goods. So seeing everything on a large scale like this is usually sold in EU version of Costco.”

@ciaoitalianschool How long is it supposed to last? #usa #italian ♬ audio originale – Ciaoitalianschool

Do Americans drink more milk than other nationalities?

Despite the preponderance of gallon-sized cartons in American grocery stores, the size of U.S. milk containers doesn’t correlate to the amount of milk in each container. According to the World Population Review’s 2022 global milk consumption analysis, the United States was only the 21st most milk consumption-heavy country in the world.

Topping the charts instead were Denmark, Montenegro, Estonia and Ireland. Italy was ranked only one slot lower than the U.S., placing it at the 22nd most milk consumption-heavy country in the world.

So if U.S. citizens are not drinking more milk, why are U.S. milk containers bigger?

While experts don’t seem to have arrived at a consensus, people online certainly have theories. In response to a British Redditor wondering why “Americans buy those massive bottles of milk,” commenters pointed out the one thing America has in spades: space.

“We generally have more space in our residential houses/condos/apartments, including large enough fridges to handle larger items,” wrote one Redditor. “Particularly our kitchens are more dedicated to kitchen/food and don’t have a clothes washer in them. So that’s one less appliance in a kitchen that you have that we don’t.”

“I think fridge space is the primary answer,” another person said. “You could fit two UK fridges (from what I have seen) in my current fridge.”

British culture website I Heart Britain adds, “while there are plenty of small American kitchens, they are, on average, quite a bit bigger than standard British kitchens.”

Buzz News reached out to Salvatori and Santoro via email.

Donald Trump offered a fresh glimpse into one of the most closely watched beautification projects of his second term on June 18, sharing new images of a gold restoration effort underway in Washington, D.C. In a post published on Truth Social, the president highlighted progress on one of the monumental Arts of War statues near Arlington Memorial Bridge, a project that has attracted both praise and criticism since it was first announced weeks ago. Accompanying four photographs showing workers restoring the monument’s golden appearance, Trump wrote: «The statue “Valor,” one of the Arts of War statues, is almost completely regilded by our Great Department of the Interior.» The post quickly reignited debate over the administration’s growing focus on large-scale restoration and beautification initiatives across the nation’s capital.

The restoration centers on the Arts of War statues, a collection of monumental bronze sculptures located at the eastern entrance of Arlington Memorial Bridge. The group includes Valor and Sacrifice, created by sculptor Leo Friedlander, as well as Music and Harvest and Aspiration and Literature, designed by James Earle Fraser. Although commissioned in 1929, construction delays caused by the Great Depression postponed their completion for years. The statues were eventually cast in Florence, Italy, gifted to the United States by the Italian government and installed in 1951. Standing roughly 19 feet tall, the sculptures serve as symbolic gateways linking Washington to Arlington National Cemetery and have long been considered among the capital’s most impressive yet underappreciated public monuments.

«The Arts of War statues are currently being regilded ahead of our nation’s 250. This is the first time in 50 years these statues have been regilded.»

– An Interior Department spokesperson

Administration officials have defended the project as an essential preservation effort rather than a cosmetic overhaul. According to the Department of the Interior, the monuments are undergoing their first complete regilding in approximately five decades. An Interior Department spokesperson said: «The Arts of War statues are currently being regilded ahead of our nation’s 250. This is the first time in 50 years these statues have been regilded.» Preservation records show the sculptures have required repeated maintenance because of deterioration affecting the porous Italian bronze used in their construction. Significant restoration work was previously carried out between 1971 and 1974, followed by additional preservation efforts in 1984. Officials argue that restoring the statues now will ensure they remain a centerpiece of celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of American independence.

The estimated $5 million project represents only one component of Trump’s broader Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful Initiative, a program that has dramatically expanded since returning to office. The administration has already committed tens of millions of dollars toward monument restoration, landscaping improvements and infrastructure upgrades throughout the capital. Among the most visible projects is a major renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which federal documents place at more than $13 million. Other proposals include a rehabilitation of Logan Circle, upgrades surrounding the Simón Bolívar statue near the National Mall and plans for a massive “Independence Arch” inspired by Paris’ Arc de Triomphe. Together, the projects form part of a larger vision intended to reshape Washington ahead of the America 250 celebrations.

The focus on monumental architecture and gold accents has also extended to the White House itself. Trump has championed a series of renovation projects that reflect his longstanding preference for ornate design elements. Plans include a large East Wing State Ballroom, expanded ceremonial spaces and extensive interior modifications featuring marble finishes and gold decorative details. Additional changes have included the installation of new flagpoles, modifications to the Rose Garden and discussions surrounding future infrastructure improvements on the White House grounds. Supporters argue these investments will modernize federal landmarks and create lasting national symbols, while critics contend the administration is devoting substantial resources to appearance-driven projects during a period of intense scrutiny over federal spending priorities.

«The statue “Valor,” one of the Arts of War statues, is almost completely regilded by our Great Department of the Interior.»

-U.S. President, Donald Trump on Truth Social

The renewed attention generated by Trump’s Truth Social post underscores how the regilding effort has become part of a much broader political and cultural debate. Advocates view the restoration as a necessary preservation project that will protect historically significant works of art for future generations while enhancing the appearance of Washington ahead of a major national milestone. Opponents, however, see the project as another example of an administration increasingly focused on expensive visual transformations and grand architectural statements. As crews continue applying gold leaf to the Arts of War statues and additional proposals advance through federal review, Trump’s vision for a more elaborate and visually striking capital continues to take shape. Whether viewed as historic preservation or presidential extravagance, the gold restoration project has become one of the most visible symbols of that effort.