Biden awards the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Hillary Clinton, José Andrés, Anna Wintour, Bono, Earvin “Magic” Johnson and others
Chairperson Joe Biden presented the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to 18 recipients at the White House on Saturday—honoring leaders in politics, humanitarianism and entertainment . With those honored from Ralph Lauren ARRIVE Jane GoodallThis was the last time Biden presented the prestigious award.
“As cultural icons, dignified statesmen, humanitarians, rock stars, sports stars, you feed the hungry, you bring hope to the hurting, while creating the signs and sounds of our movements and our memories,” Biden said. crowded the East Room, just weeks before he left office. The 19th recipient is an Argentine professional football player Lionel Messiwho were unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts, according to the White House.
In the past, this recognition has been used by presidents honor cultural legends, political activists and leaders in their fields. Throughout his presidency, Barack Obama bestowed the honor on 118 people, the most of any president, to people like Maya Angelou, Bob Dylan, Bill Gates, Billie Jean King, Oprah Winfreyand his running mate, then-vice president Biden. During Donald TrumpDuring his years in office, he awarded 24 Presidential Medals of Freedom. His awardees include Rush Limbaugh, Elvis Presley, tiger forestand Antonin Scalia, among others.
Biden has honored fewer than 60 individuals, including Simone Biles, Michael BloombergJohn McCain, Nancy PelosiAnd Michelle Yeoh.
On Saturday, Biden awarded several former political leaders. Hillary Clintonwho served as first lady, senator, secretary of state and made history as the first woman nominated for president by a major political party, received one vote standing ovation as Biden hung the medal around her neck.
Biden also posthumously awarded Ash Carter, who served as the 25th Secretary of Defense; former attorney general and senator Robert F. Kennedy, whose son, RFK Jr., supported Trump and hoped to serve in his administration; George Romney, the former senator’s late father Mitt Romney served as the 43rd Governor of Michigan and 3rd Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; and Fannie Lou Hamer, the civil rights activist who famously said she was “sick and tired of being sick and tired.”
Biden presented the award to the global investment leader and philanthropist David Rubenstein. And-It’s disappointing of several Republicans—Biden gave the honor to George Sorosbillionaire liberal activist whom some conspiracists have chosen as the party’s puppet boss.
“Apparently, all it would take to receive the highest civilian honor from President Biden is to raise millions of dollars for him and his family,” said Sen. Rick Scott of Florida wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “January 20 can’t come soon enough.” Representative Eli Crane of Arizona complained that Biden awarded prizes to Clinton and Soros Daniel Xu, man who was recently acquitted of negligent homicide in New York after choking Jordan Neely on a subway car and ultimately killing him. “Tell you all you need to know. Countdown to January 20”, Crane wrote in an X post.
