As President Trump searches for ways to make his last few days in office memorable, it turns out people will remember him for all the wrong reasons.
Days after an angry crowd of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, opinions of the president have soured. Some Americans aren’t convinced that the Commander in Chief did everything he could to prevent the violence, including one of the intended recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
While New England Patriots’ coach Bill Belichick was honored he respectfully declined the award.
“Recently, I was offered the opportunity to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which I was flattered by out of respect for what the honor represents and admiration for prior recipients. Subsequently, the tragic events of last week occurred and the decision has been made not to move forward with the award,” he said in a statement.
“Above all, I am an American citizen with great reverence for our nation’s values, freedom and democracy. I know I also represent my family and the New England Patriots team. One of the most rewarding things in my professional career took place in 2020 when, through the great leadership within our team, conversations about social justice, equality and human rights moved to the forefront and became actions. Continuing those efforts while remaining true to the people, team and county I love outweigh the benefits of any individual award.”
Trump had several President Medals of Freedom lined up to be handed out during these final days of his first term, but the devastating events that led to his coming impeachment could derail some or all of them.
