Source: CHRIS KLEPONIS / Getty
President Joe Biden awarded his final list of recipients for the Presidential Medal of Freedom, including Denzel Washington and Hillary Clinton.
On Saturday (Jan. 4), President Joe Biden recognized an array of luminaries by awarding them the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. It is his final such ceremony as Commander-in-Chief, and the list of 18 honorees included Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington, NBA Hall-of-Famer and businessman Earvin “Magic” Johnson, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Denzel Washington receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom. pic.twitter.com/W59TnJxofk
— CSPAN (@cspan) January 4, 2025
The other recipients included Chef Jose Andres, actor Michael J. Fox, scientist Bill Nye, U2 singer/songwriter Bono, scientist and activist Jane Goodall, fashion mogul Ralph Lauren, American Film Institute founder George M. Stevens, entrepreneur Tim Gill, and World Cup winner Lionel Messi. There were also posthumous honorees – activist and co-founder of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party Fannie Lou Hamer, former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, former Michigan Governor George Romney, and former Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter.
I am so humbled and overwhelmed with emotion right now. It is an absolute honor and privilege that President Joe Biden selected me for the esteemed Presidential Medal of Freedom award. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that this kid from Lansing, MI would one day… pic.twitter.com/3gFsus16cA
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) January 4, 2025
One particular honoree caught the wrath of right-wingers – billionaire George Soros, who has been a consistent donor to Democrats through the years. Bestowing the Presidential Medal of Freedom on donors is not unusual. In Donald Trump’s first term in office, he bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom upon the late conservative media figure Rush Limbaugh and billionaire Republican donors Sheldon and Miriam Adelson. Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and Carlyle Group co-founder David M. Rubenstein joined Soros on the list of honorees.
The ceremony was held in the East Room of the White House, and it was a jubilant affair. Michael J. Fox, who was honored for his contributions to the research of Parkinson’s disease, was overcome with emotion after receiving the honor. Chef Jose Andrés, who has become a global figure with his World Central Kitchen helping those in need after disasters and conflict, expressed his appreciation in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “Today, I’m humbled to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. I know that immigrants are bridges…we build the longer tables that connect us all,” he wrote.
When I first arrived to Washington DC in 1993, Senator Moynihan told me – “if you love America, America will always love you back.”
Today, I’m humbled to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. I know that immigrants are bridges…we build the longer tables that connect us… pic.twitter.com/vyV5g4ziyl
— Chef José Andrés (@chefjoseandres) January 4, 2025
