Anna Wintour moved to tears, Magic Johnson euphoric… American stars honored by Joe Biden

This Saturday, January 4, Joe Biden decorated 19 personalities with the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the White House in Washington. A strong emotional moment for distinguished celebrities like Anna Wintour, Magic Johnson and Bono and Michael J. Fox.

It is the highest American civilian honor. Before Donald Trump’s return to the White House, Joe Biden decorated numerous personalities with the Medal of Freedom this Saturday, January 4. A reward to honor them for their “exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States” or “peace in the world”. Among the celebrities that the American president has decorated, the high priestess of fashion and editor-in-chief of Vogue Anna Wintour, could not hide her emotions when receiving this prestigious medal. Basketball legend Magic Johnson, for his part, expressed his immense joy. Other stars honored included Bono, lead singer of the music group U2 as well as the actors Denzel Washington and Michael J. Fox who came with his wife Tracy Pollan, and the fashion designer Ralph Lauren.

During this ceremony, Joe Biden also distinguished the chef José Andrés, the founder of the NGO World Central Kitchen and committed to Gaza, but also Jane Goodall, an important figure in environmental protection, and the Democrat Hillary Clinton , accompanied by her husband, Bill Clinton. Posthumously, the President of the United States also decorated the politician George Romney, father of Republican Senator Mitt Romney, as well as Robert Francis Kennedy, brother of John Fitzgerald Kennedy and especially father of Robert Francis Kennedy Junior, but also Fannie Lou Hamer, civil rights activist.

Lionel Messi, absent from the medal ceremony

Among the decorated personalities, international football star Lionel Messi was also chosen by Joe Biden to receive the Medal of Freedom, but the player did not attend the ceremony due to a busy schedule, all like investor and philanthropist George Soros. If the athlete was honored, it was not for a sporting reason. The White House cited the work “philanthropic” of the Argentinian athlete among children to justify this reward. Through a press release, the American president declared: “He supports health and education programs for children around the world through the Leo Messi Foundation and is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.”