Trump offers recommendation letter to hero lifeguard to become firefighter

Williams met with Trump in the Oval Office on Monday.

Published: August 17, 2026 2:06pm

President Donald Trump on Monday confirmed he would recommend Ryder Williams, 16, a lifeguard who achieved national attention with a recent rescue of a child, for entry into firefighting and paramedic school.

Williams met with Trump in the Oval Office on Monday and told reporters "I want to be a firefighter in the future [and] hopefully go through paramedic school."

Trump then immediately said "he's off to a good start. We'll give him a recommendation!"

Late last month, Trump shared the video footage of Williams saving a young boy caught in a riptide and said he planned to award him a civilian honor.

"We’re going to bring this heroic young man, and his family, into the White House with, perhaps, the boy he saved, to give him a High Civilian Honor. Very brave, he deserves it!" he said at the time.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent for Just the News. Follow him on X.

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