Joe Biden will honor several eminent personalities on Saturday by awarding them the prestigious “Presidential Medal of Freedom”. A few days before the inauguration of Donald Trump, this distinction has an important symbolic and political significance.
Among the winners are the committed singer Bono, the legendary basketball player Magic Johnson, the fashion icon Anna Wintour, the actors Denzel Washington and Michael J. Fox, as well as the footballer Lionel Messi and the fashion designer Ralph Lauren.
The outgoing president will also pay tribute to committed figures, such as chef José Andrés, creator of the NGO World Central Kitchen, and Jane Goodall, famous primatologist and environmental defender.
However, some choices reflect stated political positions. Joe Biden will honor George Soros, controversial financier and philanthropist, as well as Hillary Clinton, former Democratic presidential candidate in 2016. The White House noted that Soros worked to strengthen democracy and human rights, while Hillary Clinton marked American political history.
Posthumously, Robert Francis Kennedy, former Minister of Justice and brother of John F. Kennedy, will also receive this distinction. Assassinated in 1968 while running for the Democratic nomination, his legacy remains a source of inspiration for defenders of justice and public service.
This ceremony illustrates Joe Biden’s desire to leave a symbolic mark before the return of his Republican rival to the White House.
“President Biden firmly believes that great people embody righteousness, uphold fairness, and always uphold the faith,” indicated the White House while presenting the 19 recipients of this promotion.
Furthermore, last Thursday, Joe Biden decorated Liz Cheney, a former Republican elected official known for her opposition to Donald Trump and her role in the parliamentary investigation into the assault on the Capitol. The distinction sparked a strong reaction from Trump, who accused Biden of rewarding her solely for her opposition to the former president.
