Melania Trump receives ‘Patriot of the Year’ award at Fox Nation ceremony
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First Lady Melania Trump accepted the prestigious “Patriot of the Year” award at the seventh annual Fox Nation Patriot Awards in Brookville, New York, on Thursday night.
The event honors the nation’s unsung heroes and ordinary people who achieve extraordinary goals. Melania Trump, now serving her second term as First Lady, has expanded her international advocacy for children.
“I applaud American dreamers and innovators who embrace originality,” Trump said while accepting the award.
“Let’s embrace the spirit of ambition. Let’s celebrate everyone who dares to think differently. Because these brave Americans are the heartbeat of our civilization.”
The First Lady received the honor a year after then-President-elect Donald Trump was given the honor following his 2024 election victory.
STARS CONNECT AS FOX NATION’S PATRIOT AWARDS HONOR AMERICA’S HEART AND HEROISM
In October, Melania Trump said her ongoing talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin had contributed to the reunification of eight Ukrainian children with their families. Russia continues to face accusations of kidnapping thousands of children during the war.
The First Lady’s “peace letter” was hand-delivered to Putin during the summit in Alaska in August. Around the same time, Ukraine’s First Lady thanked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for drawing attention to the issue by sending her a note he carried during his visit to the White House.
First Lady Melania Trump hosts a meeting of the White House Artificial Intelligence Education Working Group in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on September 4, 2025. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Melania Trump also supported the “REMOVE Act” legislation designed to protect children and their families from online exploitation and extortion. The law targets the non-consensual sharing of explicit images and the spread of deepfakes with sexual content.
In May, Melania Trump included a $25 million investment in President Donald Trump’s fiscal year 2026 budget to provide housing and support for youth exiting foster care.
“This is another important measure that ensures the safety, well-being and autonomy of those in the foster community,” the first lady said in a statement at the White House.
Other award categories at the ceremony include “Young Patriot,” “Heroism,” “T2T Stephen Siller Award,” “Most Valuable Patriot” and “Salute to Service,” each given to individuals whose actions embody courage, service and love of country.
Then President-elect Donald Trump takes the stage before speaking at the Fox Nation Patriot Awards on December 5, 2024. (Heather Khalifa/AP Photo)
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The 2025 ceremony unveiled a new award honoring the late Charlie Kirk that will become a permanent part of the Patriot Awards. This honor recognizes individuals who uphold the values Kirk stood for: faith, family, and freedom of expression.
Since its inception in 2019, the Patriot Awards ceremony has become one of Fox Nation’s most anticipated annual events celebrating unity, service and patriotism.
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