Free Republic

U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Pope Francis on Saturday and awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction, the nation's highest civilian honor, the White House said. It was the first time during his four years in office that Biden awarded the medal "with distinction," it said. Biden, 82, leaves office on Jan. 20. To oversee the federal response to the fires in California, he canceled a trip to Rome this week, where he was due to meet Francis in person. A lifelong Catholic who has met the pope several times, Biden told reporters on Friday that he...

A thin-skinned Liz Cheney could not help herself in firing back at President Trump on Friday over his savage remarks regarding the medal she received from Joe Biden and ended up making a huge error in the process. As The Gateway Pundit previously reported, Biden awarded the second-highest civilian medal to 20 individuals on Thursday. These included the leaders of the January 6th select committee, Cheney and Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), along with two of his longtime friends/cronies, former Senators Ted Kaufman (D-DE) and Chris Dodd (D-CT). The award, known as the Presidential Citizens Medal, is generally given to Americans...

President Joe Biden awarded Hunter Biden’s friend, Bobby Sager, with the Presidential Citizens Medal on Thursday, underscoring Hunter’s influence over the octogenarian. Sager, a photographer and philanthropist, earned the award after he allegedly created opportunity for low-income people abroad, including Palestinian women artisans. Sager is also a self-described “selfish” person who became friends with Hunter only in the last two years, NBC News reported.

President Joe Biden will award former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney and 19 others with the Presidential Citizens Medal. Biden leaves office later this month. The Presidential Citizens Medal is awarded to individuals who display "Exemplary deeds or services, for his or her country or fellow citizens." It is the second-highest civilian award in the United States, second to the Presidential Medal of Freedom. According to The Washington Post, Cheney’s anti-Donald Trump stance is what contributed to Biden giving her the medal (via the Post):Biden will bestow the honor on Cheney — one of the GOP’s most outspoken critics of President-elect...

A House Republican is pushing to award Daniel Penny the highest civilian honor that Congress can award, and I'm all for it. Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz) plans to introduce a resolution to grant the Congressional Gold Medal to Penny, the U.S. Marine veteran who defended himself and fellow passengers against a threatening homeless man on a crowded New York City subway, before being unjustly prosecuted by D.A. Alvin Bragg. "Daniel Penny’s actions exemplify what it means to stand against the grain to do right in a world that rewards moral cowardice," said Crane. "Our system of ‘justice’ is fiercely corrupt,...

Controversial Algerian boxer Imane Khelif was apparently switched out at the last moment from carrying her nation's flag at Sunday night's Olympics closing ceremony. It had been reported earlier that Khelif, who won gold in women's boxing amid a much-publicised gender row, had been selected to carry the flag of Algeria at the glittering final ceremony at the Stade de France in Paris. However the honour went to gold medal gymnast Kaylia Nemour and bronze-winning track star Djamel Sedjati instead, as Khelif still made an appearance as part of the wider team. Khelif grinned widely as she held up her...

Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III has ordered the Department of Defense to review the Medal of Honor awarded to 20 soldiers for their actions in the Wounded Knee Massacre that took place in 1890.Austin wrote in a memo, “The [special review panel] may consider the context of the overall engagement as appropriate, including as necessary to understand each [Wounded Knee Creek Medal of Honor] recipient’s individual actions.”In a separate statement, a senior defense official shared, “It’s never too late to do what’s right.”The official added, “And that’s what is intended by the review that the secretary directed, which is...

HONOLULU (KHON2) -- Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi signed Bill 7, declaring the City and County of Honolulu a “Purple Heart City” to honor recipients of the Purple Heart. The bill was passed on April 17 and was signed on Friday. According to the City and County of Honolulu, those who were injured, wounded, or died in the line of duty receive the Purple Heart for their bravery and sacrifice. “I’m just really grateful to all of you, not only for your service and what you represent but for having the opportunity to become a Purple Heart City and all that...

The remains of Col. Ralph Puckett, Jr., the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from the Korean War, lay in honor Monday in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol. Puckett Jr., born Dec. 8, 1926, died at his home on Monday, April 8. He was 97. Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced on Tuesday, April 16, that Congress would honor the fallen Medal of Honor with the prestigious reception. "The extraordinary valor of Colonel Ralph Puckett, Jr. represents the best of the 1.7 million Americans who left home to fight for freedom in the Korean War,"...

President Trump's uncle Dr. John Trump was a hero in WWII, honoured by both Great Britain and the United States for his contribution to winning the scientific war against Germany. Find out his fascinating story here... Dr. Mark Felton FRHistS, FRSA is a well-known British historian, the author of 22 non-fiction books, including bestsellers 'Zero Night' and 'Castle of the Eagles', both currently being developed into movies in Hollywood. In addition to writing, Mark also appears regularly in television documentaries around the world, including on The History Channel, Netflix, National Geographic, Quest, American Heroes Channel and RMC Decouverte. His books...

This is sounds like gaslighting by the U.S. Mint while they look to make a tidy little profit too. Maybe the Mint ought to just call it the Lon Horiuchi federal marksmanship award?!? Here’s the description: Bronze miniature replica of the Congressional Gold Medal honoring the U.S. Capitol Police and those who protected the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. 1.5 inches in diameter. Every day, the United States Capitol Police protects the U.S. Capitol, Members of Congress, staff, journalists, and the visiting public. On January 6, 2021, a mob of insurrectionists forced its way into the U.S. Capitol building...

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Wednesday claimed that President Joe Biden left a Medal of Honor recipient’s ceremony early yesterday in order to “minimize his close contact with attendees.” Biden’s early departure from the ceremony puzzled viewers, as it is not typical for a president to do so. The Tuesday ceremony was to honor 81-year-old Army Captain Larry L. Taylor, a Vietnam veteran, for conspicuous gallantry while serving as a team leader of a helicopter light-fire team that rescued a patrol team surrounded by the enemy.

During the state visit of the 46th President of the United States of America, Joseph R. Biden, Jr., to Israel next week, President Isaac Herzog will award him the Israeli Presidential Medal of Honor in a festive ceremony at the President’s Residence in recognition of his true friendship with the State of Israel, the people of Israel, and the Jewish People; his uncompromising decades-long commitment to Israel's security; his contributions to deepening, strengthening, and enhancing the strong and unwavering alliance between Israel and the United States of America; and his struggle against anti-Israeli and antisemitic hatred around the world. The...

Gu wins Gold Big Air free ski, representing China.

President Biden reportedly plans to award the Medal of Honor to three service members who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, including one who would be the first Black soldier to receive the nation's highest military honor for either war. Biden is expected to recognize the men by Dec. 16, The Washington Post reported, citing four current and former officials who spoke on the ondition of anonymity.

For the first time since 1972, Team USA failed to win any medals to open the Summer Olympics on Saturday in Tokyo. Team USA Olympians endured several upset losses during the first day of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, taking home none of the 11 gold medals that were awarded on Saturday Japanese time, or Friday in the U.S. The team also failed to win any of the silver or bronze medals for any of the opening day events, which included archery, cycling, fencing, judo, air rifle and pistol shooting, taekwondo, and weightlifting. Brady Ellison, the number two seed Team...

Country music legend Dolly Parton has revealed that she turned down the Presidential Medal of Freedom twice during the Donald Trump administration, though the reasons she gave weren’t political. At the same time, the singer said she isn’t sure she will accept the honor if Joe Biden were to offer it to her. Dolly Parton revealed on NBC’s Today show on Monday that she refused the country’s highest civilian honor two times during the last four years.

President Trump on Thursday awarded Notre Dame’s legendary former football coach Lou Holtz the Presidential Medal of Freedom — and Holtz reciprocated by hailing Trump as the “greatest president during my lifetime.” Holtz, 83, received the nation’s highest civilian honor in the Oval Office. “Wherever Lou went, football glory followed,” Trump said. “‘I never coached football, I coached life,’ he said.” A tightly packed group of invited guests chanted, “Lou! Lou!” “I want to assure you how proud I am, not only to receive the award — I’m even prouder to receive it from President Donald Trump, who I think...

The movie "Thirteen Days" is the latest dramatization of President Kennedy's showdown with the Soviets during the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962. Retired Air Force Maj. Gottlieb "John" Wilmsmeyer, 71, hasn't seen the film. But the Missouri farmer figures he can match that Cold War tale with a nail-biter of his own. It occurred about the same time. It might even have influenced the missile crisis. But for nearly 40 years, Wilmsmeyer had to keep quiet about "Operation Speedlight Delta." He was crew commander on a KC-135 tanker at Forbes Air Force Base, Topeka, Kan., in the summer of...

President Donald J. Trump will award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Annika Sorenstam and Gary J. Player on March 23, 2020. They will join Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Charlie Sifford, and Tiger Woods as the only golfers to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This prestigious award is the Nation’s highest civilian honor, which may be awarded by the President to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors. The world knows Annika on a first-name basis...