Nineteen people were honored in an official ceremony at the White House with the Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian award. There are names from the old and new guard who, according to outgoing President Joe Biden, have defended democracy, a statement that has been seen by many as a thinly veiled attack on Donald Trump who will replace him in less than 20 days in Washington.
“President Biden believes great leaders keep the faith, give everyone a fair shot, and put decency above all else. These nineteen individuals are great leaders who have made America and the world a better place. They are great leaders because they are good people who have made extraordinary contributions to their country and the world,” reads the official document posted on the White House website.
Among them are Hillary Clinton, the former First Lady, senator and secretary of state whom Trump threatened to send to prison; the late Robert F. Kennedy, former Attorney General and father of right-hand man and soon-to-be Health Secretary RFK Jr., and George W. Romney, former chairman of the American Motors Corporation and father of former Senator Mitt Romney who voted for Trump’s impeachment. Also, two personalities from the fashion world: fashion designer Ralph Lauren, the first recipient of the Medal of Freedom, who has distinguished himself for redesigning American style, and Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Vogue, who has dedicated two covers to Jill Biden in the past four years and for the last election endorsed Kamala Harris, dedicating the October 2024 magazine to her.
