President Biden awards Medal of Freedom to Hillary Clinton, Soros, Messi and 16 others
Nineteen individuals, including civil rights pioneers like the late Fannie Lou Hamer and well-known politicians like former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Democratic billionaire George Soros, are receiving the Medal of Freedom from President Biden.
Actors and athletes such as Michael J. Fox, Denzel Washington, Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi, and retired basketball player Earvin “Magic” Johnson, who guided the Los Angeles Lakers to five titles, are also being honored.
“These 19 Americans have improved America and are excellent leaders. In a statement, the White House said, “They are outstanding leaders because they are decent individuals who have made outstanding contributions to their nation and the world.
Biden will also posthumously grant the medal to former U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, the father of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who President-elect Trump has nominated to be his secretary of Health and Human Services; and former Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter, as well as George W. Romney, who served as the chairman of the American Motors Corp. before becoming Michigan governor and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. He is also the father of Utah Sen. Mitt Romney.
Additional recipients include:
José Andrés – the renowned chef who brought food aid around the world through his World Central Kitchen.
Bono – the frontman for legendary rock band U2 and activist against AIDS and poverty.
Tim Gill – the entrepreneur whose work advanced LGBTQI rights and equality.
Jane Goodall, a world-renowned ethologist and conservationist whose research transformed human understanding of primates and human evolution.
Ralph Lauren, a fashion designer who has also helped influenced culture, business, and philanthropy.
William Sanford Nye – who inspired and influenced generations of American students as “Bill Nye the Science Guy.”
David M. Rubenstein – the co-founder and co-chairman of The Carlyle Group, where he built one of the most successful global investment firms.
George Stevens, Jr. – the American writer and director who founded the American Film Institute and co-creator of the Kennedy Center Honors.