Story highlights President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump visited Walter Reed Medical Center Saturday

President Trump awarded a Purple Heart to Sgt. 1st Class Alvaro Barrientos

(CNN) President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump visited Walter Reed Medical Center on Saturday, where the President awarded the Purple Heart to a wounded soldier.

Trump presented the medal to Sgt. 1st Class Alvaro Barrientos and thanked him on behalf of himself and the first lady. Barrientos' wife, Tammy, was present for the short ceremony.

"So I heard about this, I wanted to do this myself," Trump said as he placed the Purple Heart on the soldier's lapel. "Congratulations on behalf of Melania and myself and the entire nation. Tremendous, tremendous job, congratulations."

President Donald Trump awards the purple heart to Sergeant First Class Alvaro Barrientos.

The Purple Heart is awarded to American service members who are wounded or killed in combat. Barrientos was recently injured while serving in Afghanistan.

Many on social media noted that the President's congratulations seemed inappropriate. It is not the first time Trump has faced backlash for remarks about the Purple Heart. At a rally in Ashburn, Virginia, in August 2016, the then-Republican presidential nominee said he was given a medal by a veteran backstage.

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