By KONSTANTIN TOROPIN, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A helicopter pilot wounded in the raid that captured then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro received the Congressional Medal of Honor during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday evening.

Trump said Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Eric Slover, who appeared using a walker, was the pilot of the lead CH-47 Chinook helicopter that descended on the “heavily protected military fortress” that held Maduro during a raid that, while successful, left seven U.S. service members with gunshot wounds and shrapnel-related injuries.

“While preparing to land, enemy machine guns fired from every angle, and Eric was hit very badly in the leg and hip, one bullet after another,” Trump said, adding that Slover “absorbed four agonizing shots, shredding his leg into numerous pieces.”

U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Eric Slover receives a Medal of Honor during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Months of covert planning led to the brazen operation that plunged the South American country’s capital into darkness as troops infiltrated Maduro’s home and whisked him to the United States to face drug trafficking charges.

Trump’s description of Slover’s actions that night offer a new, detailed glimpse into the military action that has been largely shrouded in secrecy since it was carried out in the early hours of Jan. 3.

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As Slover prepared to land his helicopter, he was confronted with “two machine gunners who escaped the wrath of the previous planes,” according to Trump.

“Eric maneuvered his helicopter with all of those lives and souls to face the enemy and let his gunners eliminate the threat,” Trump said, “saving the lives of his fellow warriors from what could have been a catastrophic crash deep in enemy territory.”

The president said “the success of the entire mission and the lives of his fellow warriors hinged on Eric’s ability to take searing pain.”

Lt. Gen. Jonathan Braga, commander of Joint Special Operations Command, presented Slover with the Medal of Honor in the gallery overlooking the House chamber.

Slover was in his dress uniform and used a walker to steady himself. Trump said the soldier was still recovering from his wounds.

Trump also said 10 other service members who took part in the operation will be receiving medals at a private ceremony soon to be held at the White House.

First lady Melania Trump presents the Congressional Medal of Honor to World War II Navy pilot Capt. Royce Williams as President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

In addition to Slover, Trump also presented the Medal of Honor to retired Capt. E. Royce Williams, a Navy pilot who shot down multiple Soviet jets during the Korean War, upgrading his existing award of a Navy Cross.

Trump called the 100-year-old former fighter pilot “one of the last living legends.”

Rosemount teammates, next-door neighbors and lifelong friends Connor Schubert and Channing Goodwin accomplished a “dream” by helping punch the Irish’s ticket to state.

Schubert and Goodwin lifted the Irish to a 3-2 win over St. Thomas Academy in the Class 2A, Section 3 final at Lee and Penny Anderson Arena in St. Paul on Tuesday night.

Schubert scored the first two goals, and Goodwin’s empty-netter with a minute to play propelled the Irish past the Cadets. The linemates shot pucks in the garage growing up in Rosemount and delivered the city its first trip to state since 1992 (Tier II tournament).

Rosemount head coach Ricky Saintey said it was hard to put into words what the win means to the community.

“The Rosemount guys that are on our staff, that are giving back to our youth and that are here supporting, that’s what it means to me,” Saintey said. “This is not for me. This is for every single one of those people that believed in Rosemount and stayed in Rosemount.”

Sophomore goaltender Drew Sherman said the team has called the section final a “hump game” since bantams.

A combative, charged pregame atmosphere set up a physical first period, but that intensity boiled over for the Irish. Senior forwards Quinton VeDepo (elbowing) and Cade Sherman (tripping) received minor penalties, giving the Cadets four minutes with a man advantage.

St. Thomas Academy failed to capitalize, managing just two shots on goal across its two power-play opportunities. Sherman said killing off both early penalties gave the team “a ton of momentum.”

Schubert slotted one past Cadets freshman goaltender Owen Ryan with just five seconds to play in the opening period, giving the Irish a 1-0 lead. It was Schubert’s 18th goal of the season in a period that saw just nine combined shots on goal.

Cadets senior forward Oliver Marvin netted just his fourth goal of the season to even it up 1-all with 8:19 to play in the second.

Rosemount ratcheted up its pressure in the final five minutes of the period but could not put one past Ryan, despite recording 12 shots on goal after totaling just six in the first.

In the locker room during the second intermission, Schubert said Saintey told the team whoever got the first goal was going to win.

An early penalty on Cadets senior forward Peter Murray 83 seconds into the third, gave the Irish a prime opportunity. A snipe from the point by Schubert beat Ryan on the near side as the power-play goal put Rosemount ahead for the second time.

Schubert said he saw a lane open as the puck was sliding toward him and let it rip, placing it perfectly past the goalie. Saintey said you cannot leave a player like Schubert open because he’s a “big player in a big moment.”

St. Thomas Academy pulled Ryan with a minute and a half to play, with its season on the line. Goodwin won the faceoff 15 seconds later and fired a bending shot the length of the ice into the empty net, giving the Irish a 3-1 edge.

Goodwin said he was just trying to get the puck out of the zone, and a “lucky bounce” saw it curve into the back of the net.

The Cadets answered via senior forward Cole Braunshausen but could not find an equalizer in the final 34 seconds.

Saintey said the final 90 seconds felt like an “eternity,” but the mindset was to stay poised, and his team managed the situation.

Saintey said he did the math, and it had been 12,698 days since Rosemount had been to the state tournament. When the final horn sounded, he said all he could do was raise his arms in appreciation.

“I’ll tell you right now, whatever just happened is pretty awesome,” Saintey said.

Other section tournament games on Tuesday:

Class A, Section 2 semifinals

No. 1-seed Delano beat No. 5-seed Orono 7-3 at the St. Louis Park Rec Center, while No. 2 Blake beat No. 6 Minneapolis 4-2 in the evening’s later game.

Lance Halonen had a hat trick, Jacob Perlich had a pair of goals, and Daniel Halonen and Brady Kangas also scored for Delano. Rory Kvern scored twice and Ryan De Lange had a goal for Orono, which got 13 saves from Max Lewin. Evan Geyen stopped 20 shots in goal for Delano.

Landon Bell scored twice in the first to open the scoring for Blake, which also got goals from Jimmy Hughes and Charlie Moore. Will Ackerman and Owen DeYoung scored for Minneapolis. Blake’s Jake Iwan had 20 saves, while Minneapolis’ Ivan Kelly made 26 saves.

The two meet 7 p.m. Thursday at the St. Louis Park Rec Center in the section final.

Class A, Section 4 semifinals

Top-seed Mahtomedi beat No. 4-seed Hastings 5-1 at Aldrich Arena. Henry Sampair and Will Seevers scored in the second to put the Zephyrs in front 2-0. Mahtomedi’s Devin O’Donnell and Julian Cisek made it 4-0 in the third before the Raiders got a goal from Brecken Fullerton. However, Brayden Fuerst ended the scoring for the Zephyrs, who also got 17 saves from Jackson Chesak. Charlie Stoffel made 25 saves for Hastings.

On the other side of the bracket, second-seed Chisago Lakes beat No. 6 Tartan 8-3 in Tuesday’s other semifinal, a back-and-forth affair that saw Tartan come back from two deficits to eventually lead before Chisago Lakes scored six straight goals.

Colton Horak had a hat trick — his second and third goals coming after Tartan’s lead — and Jacob Kletti scored twice for Chisago Lakes. Austin Slettom, Zach Carlson and Quinlan Ryan also scored for the Wildcats. Carter Parent, Kieran Moylan and Benny McClellan scored for Tartan, which got 38 saves from Nathan McGuire.

Jacob Schaeppi had 26 saves for Chisago Lakes, which will meet Mahtomedi in the section final at 7 p.m. Thursday at Aldrich Arena.

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By JONATHAN J. COOPER, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, who survived a gunshot wound to the head while patrolling with the National Guard in Washington last year, was presented the Purple Heart medal during Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday.

Trump honored Wolfe and his colleague, U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom during his speech, before pausing so Gen. James Seward, head of the West Virginia National Guard, could pin the medal on Wolfe’s civilian suit.

“With God’s help, Andrew has battled back from the edge of death—and we’re talking about the edge—on his way to a miraculous recovery,” Trump said.

“Nice to see you,” he added, looking up at Wolfe in the gallery.

West Virginia National Guard Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe is awarded a Purple Heart during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Trump recalled his mother’s determination that he would recover, even as others doubted it would be possible to survive his severe injuries. She buried her head in her son’s chest as the president spoke.

Wolfe and Beckstrom, members of the West Virginia National Guard, were shot in an ambush on Nov. 26 while deployed to Washington as part of Trump’s executive order to battle what he said was rampant crime. Beckstrom died on Thanksgiving Day.

Evalea and Gary Beckstrom, the mother and father of National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom, receive a Purple Heart on behalf of their daughter during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026, as West Virginia National Guard Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe watches at left. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Trump also spoke directly to Beckstrom’s parents in the gallery.

“Your daughter was a true American patriot and she will be greatly missed,” Trump told Evalea and Gary Beckstrom.

The tributes prompted several minutes of bipartisan applause.

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Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who was wounded in the attack, has been charged in connection with the shooting. He has pleaded not guilty and remains in custody. Authorities say he drove across the country from his home in Washington state to execute the attack.

Lakanwal, 29, entered the United States in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, officials said. The Biden administration program evacuated and resettled tens of thousands of Afghans after the U.S. withdrawal from the country.

Trump, who halted asylum decisions in response to the shooting, said during his speech that the gunman “shouldn’t have been in our country.”

Gophers men’s basketball coach Niko Medved warned Monday on his radio show about third-ranked Michigan’s “spurt-ability.”

He looked prophetic come Tuesday.

The Wolverines displayed that ability to go on quick runs, with a 19-5 burst to effectively put away a 77-67 win over Minnesota at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Mich.

The Wolverines (26-2, 16-1 Big Ten) clinched a share of the Big Ten regular-season championship with a victory, while Minnesota (13-15, 6-11) ended a two-game winning streak.

“I’m such a competitive guy,” Medved said postgame on KFAN. “I’m not a guy — I don’t sit there and believe in moral victories and all that. (But) I’m really proud of my team, man. … This team that we are playing against, analytically, is as good as any team I’ve seen in college basketball in the last 15 years. They just showed a ton of heart, man. If it wasn’t for that one stretch, we were right there.”

Michigan was a 22 1/2-point favorite, but Minnesota was within 51-47 with 10 minutes left. However, the Wolverines made five 3-pointers over the next four minutes.

The Wolverines coughed up 14 total turnovers, which led to 14 points for the Gophers, and that helped Minnesota keep it closer.

The first half started with 10 lead changes before Michigan went on a 11-0 run to go up 30-20. But Minnesota didn’t roll over, outscoring Michigan 8-2 to make it 32-28 at the break.

Minnesota, which remained down to six total players, continued to rely on zone defense and it kept Wolverine’s leading scorer Yaxel Lendenborg scoreless in the opening 20 minutes. He was averaging 14.6 per game and finished with three points.

The much-taller Wolverines had a 39-18 rebounding edge, but the Gophers were only outscored 26-24 in the paint.

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