Obama Has Ash Carter Award Him DOD Medal for Distinguished Public Service

President Obama was awarded the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service this week by his own defense secretary, Ash Carter – an act that seems to suggest the White House chief chose himself for the honor.

Carter claimed the medal was simply a way to recognize Obama’s service as commander in chief, according to the Associated Press.

But if image counts, the message that’s received is this: Obama awarded himself the medal.

In fact, that’s how Breitbart noted it:

“On Wednesday, President Obama added another prestigious medal to his Nobel Prize collection when he had Defense Secretary Ash Carter award him with the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service.

“Secretary Carter awarded his boss with the medal on January 4 during the Armed Forces Full Honor Farewell Review for the President held at Conmy Hall, Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Virginia.”

And Twitter posters were quick to note the oddity of Carter pinning a medal on his boss’s chest.

Mark Knoller, the White House correspondent for CBS News, first tweeted: “Defense Secy Carter presents Pres Obama with Dept of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service.”

And from there, the Twitter feed went nuts.

One wrote: “So Carter whom was picked for Secretary of Defense by Obama gives him an award! I wonder who’s idea that was EGO & CHIEF?”

Another: “He gets awards for nothing all the time. Remember that Nobel Peace Prize?”

A third: “Now he can wear it with that tan suit like any other aging 3rd world dictator. Just needs the sash & epaulettes.”

Yet one more: “Wonder if it has the ISIS emblem on it???”

And another, perhaps the most cut-to-the-chase in terms of natural reactions: “@markknoller – wait what???”