Lost in the chaos of last week’s news was the announcement of President Trump’s Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients. This is the first group of recipients from the Trump presidency and the list feels a little random; heavy on the posthumous, heavy on the athletes.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civilian honor. It honors those who have made “an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.” This year’s recipients are:
-Miriam Adelson
-Orrin Hatch
-Alan Page
-Elvis Presley
-Babe Ruth
-Antonin Scalia
-Roger Staubach
If the first name sounds vaguely familiar, it’s because Miriam Adelson is the wife of Republican mega-donor Sheldon Adelson. The casino magnate and his wife donated $25 million dollars to Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and have given nearly $130 million dollars to the GOP for this year’s election cycle, which I’m sure had absolutely nothing to do with her selection. The award ceremony will be held on November 16th at the White House.
Elvis Presley, Babe Ruth To Be Honored With Presidential Medal Of Freedom (Dino-Ray Ramos/Deadline)(Photo: Union20/Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0)