The White House paid tribute to the International Association of Fire Fighters today during a Rose Garden luncheon recognizing the service and sacrifice of first responders nationwide.
Guests were served an early‑autumn menu featuring butternut squash soup, grilled prime New York strip steak, and garden carrot cake with ice cream. Tables were decorated with red and white USA caps embroidered with “45” and “47,” a nod to President Donald Trump’s nonconsecutive terms.
During his remarks, the President shifted to national politics, highlighting his recent travel and focusing on the heated Texas Senate race between Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico. Trump criticized Talarico for being off the campaign trail for nearly two weeks, saying, “I never heard of a flu that lasted that long, but maybe he had a different kind of flu we don’t know about. He said bad things — talked badly about Jesus, talked badly about many things.”
He praised Paxton as “the best attorney general in the country,” adding, “Whether you like Ken or not — and I know some people think he’s controversial — he may have been the best attorney general this country has had in many, many years.”
The President also received a symbolic gift: a white firefighter helmet presented by Steve Hirsch of the National Volunteer Fire Council. Trump joked, “I could’ve used this in Butler,” referencing a recent campaign stop marked by heavy rain and wind.
Notable Attendees
Attorney General Todd Blanche
Edward Kelly, President, International Association of Fire Fighters
Patrick Yoes, President, Fraternal Order of Police
Paul Perez, President, National Border Patrol Council
David Rausch, International Association of Chiefs of Police
Troy Wellman, National Sheriffs’ Association
Trump praised Blanche’s leadership, saying he will “go down as the best Attorney General in the country’s history” for how he is handling what he described as numerous national challenges.
The President also touted the administration’s law‑enforcement initiatives, claiming there have been no illegal Southern border crossings in 17 months. He reiterated his support for reinstating the death penalty for anyone who kills a police officer or any member of law enforcement, calling it a necessary deterrent.
Pastor Da’Quarius Green , a 31-year-old leader of Elba Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Alabama, was shot on Dec. 23, 2025 and died several days later in the hospital after a domestic dispute at his home in Level Plains . Authorities have described the shooting as a “domestic incident” involving his wife, 𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐲. Local news station WTVY reported "c ourt records show that Green was arrested on misdemeanor domestic violence charges 3 times in Houston County last year, with each of those cases dismissed. Also in 2024, a woman filed a protection order against Green in Houston County in which she believed him to be a danger," but did not confirm Mrs. Massey as the suspect. Various reports indicate the couple's children were present when he was shot in the head. In one instance, a woman who shared children with Green alleged that he repeatedly struck her , including once when she was pregnant. The sitution appears to be shaping int...