In January 2025, President Joe Biden made headlines by awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to several controversial figures, including Hillary Clinton and George Soros. This decision came during the final days of a presidency marked by mounting criticism. During the award ceremony, held at the White House, Alex Soros accepted the medal on behalf of his father, George. Biden’s remarks praised Soros for his “inspiring generosity” and his role as a guardian of democracy. However, this statement did little to quell backlash from Republicans and conservative commentators.
Fox News hosts, including Guy Benson, Rachel Campos-Duffy, and Charlie Hurt, were quick to voice their disapproval. Benson remarked that while some medal recipients were deserving, others were not, specifically naming Clinton and Soros as problematic choices. He stated, “Some of them are perfectly fine, like I love Denzel Washington,” before highlighting the egregious nature of awarding Soros. Campos-Duffy echoed these sentiments, labeling Soros a “villain” and discussing the negative impact his financial backing has had on law and order in American cities. She noted, “Just talking about the destruction that he caused by funding these D.A.s, these liberal D.A.s who were undermining law and order in these cities.”
Furthermore, Campos-Duffy suggested that the medal should be renamed as it now seems to reward those who destroy freedom rather than uphold it. She quipped, “I would say destroying freedom gets you the Freedom Award, I guess.” This sentiment was mirrored by Elon Musk, who shared his disdain for the decision on social media, calling it a “travesty.”
Hurt added to the critique by questioning the integrity of the Medals of Freedom, suggesting Biden’s selections devalued the award. He said, “The idea that you would give the award to those people, such deserving people, and then you would immediately cheapen the value of the award by giving it to these people who don’t deserve it.” Hurt also pointed out the oddity of honoring historical figures alongside controversial recipients, like RFK Senior, insinuating that today’s choices overshadow past honors. Campos-Duffy reflected on past awardees and remarked that the award given to Rush Limbaugh had moved her emotionally, suggesting a stark contrast to the current recipients.
This ceremony highlighted a growing divide in American politics, where awards meant to celebrate contributions to society are now seen as politicized tokens rather than genuine recognitions of merit. The decision to honor Soros and Clinton may have been intended to honor their perceived contributions, yet it sparked a fierce debate about the values we hold and who truly deserves to be celebrated in such a manner.
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