Nehls stops wearing military badge pin amid stolen valor accusations

Rep. Troy Nehls said he’s no longer wearing a badge pin awarded to infantrymen or Special Forces who fought in active combat after many of his own colleagues have accused him of “stolen valor.”

Speaking to reporters outside of votes, Nehls said he wasn’t wearing the pin “because you guys are vultures.”

“Now that I don't wear that, what are you going to talk to me about?” the Texas Republican, wearing a tie of former President Donald Trump hugging the American flag and Trump’s gold sneakers, said. “You guys are gonna be bored out of your minds.”

NOTUS first reported in June that Nehls continued to wear the Combat Infantryman Badge pin despite CBS News finding it had been revoked in 2023. Nehls made what he said would be his “final written comment” on the matter Tuesday, asking how he could be one of just 47 of 142,596 pins rescinded over the last 20 years.

“The American people know just how disgusting the media is — the dishonest media,” Nehls said during his lengthy remarks to reporters. “I know what I've done, and I certainly don't have to justify myself to you guys.”

Rep. Jack Bergman (R-Mich.), a retired Marine Corps lieutenant general, said he was among the decorated combat veterans in Congress who were concerned about Nehls wearing the CIB. Bergman said, however, that he was not considering an ethics complaint.

“We’re not going to waste any time on Troy Nehls,” he said in an interview. “We’ve got bigger fish to fry. You make your own bed, lay in it.”

Other veteran lawmakers urged Republicans to address the matter internally.

“I'm going to let the Republicans handle it," said Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), who served in the Marine Corps. "They certainly should"

Joe Gould and Connor O'Brien contributed to this report.