With his last days in office winding down, Donald Trump will award Bill Belichick, the head coach for the New England Patriots football team, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in a Thursday ceremony, Politico reports.
Facing the second impeachment of his term, Trump will give Belichick the Medal of Freedom in recognition of his six Super Bowl wins. Belichick has also been involved in a number of cheating scandals while the coach of the Patriots that have cost his team millions of dollars of fines and numerous draft picks.
Robert Kraft, the owner of the Patriots, is a Trump supporter who was involved in a prostitution scandal in 2019.
Trump has yet to recognize the achievements of any of the scientists, public health officials or medical professionals who have been in the front lines in the fight against the coronavirus or in vaccine development with a Medal of Freedom.
Trump has awarded 24 Medals of Freedom during his term. Fourteen have gone to athletes or coaches, including four golfers. One went to a dead Supreme Court judge, one to the wife of a political donor, one to a disgraced economist, one to an Army general, one to Elvis, one to a radio propagandist. four to politicians. He has awarded none to people in the sciences, the fine arts, public service or academia.
Trump is expected to award another Medal of Freedom to coatless Republican Congressman Jim Jordan on Monday, despite persistent allegations that Jordan ignored sexual abuse as a wrestling coach.