President Joe Biden, on Thursday, presented the prestigious Presidential Citizens Medal to Liz Cheney and Bennie Thompson, prominent figures in the congressional investigation of the Capitol riot, despite Donald Trump’s previous remarks suggesting they should face imprisonment for their involvement in the inquiry.
In the East Room ceremony, Biden honored 20 individuals, including advocates for marriage equality, a pioneer in the care of wounded veterans, and two of his longtime friends, former Senators Ted Kaufman of Delaware and Chris Dodd of Connecticut. “Together, you embody the central truth: We’re a great nation because we’re a good people,” Biden remarked. “Our democracy begins and ends with the duties of citizenship. That’s our work for the ages and it’s what all of you embody.”
Last year, Biden recognized individuals who defended the Capitol against an aggressive mob of Trump supporters on January 6, 2021, or those who helped uphold the result of the 2020 presidential election, during which Trump attempted to contest the outcome.
Cheney, a former Republican congresswoman from Wyoming, and Rep. Thompson, a Democrat from Mississippi, spearheaded the House committee responsible for examining the events of the insurrection. The committee’s final report accused Trump of engaging in a “multi-part conspiracy” to subvert the valid election results and failing to intervene as his followers stormed the Capitol. Thompson wrote, “Trump lit that fire.”
The audience erupted into applause and stood in appreciation as Cheney took the stage. Biden shook her hand and presented her with the medal, declaring it an award for “putting the American people over party.” Cheney, who lost her congressional seat in the GOP primary in August 2022, later announced her intent to vote for Democrat Kamala Harris in the upcoming 2024 presidential election and campaigned alongside the Democratic nominee, escalating tensions with Trump. Biden has contemplated granting preemptive pardons to Cheney and others targeted by Trump.
Thompson also received enthusiastic applause and was honored for his “lifelong dedication to safeguarding our Constitution.” Trump, who continues to assert his claims about the 2020 election as he prepares to assume office again on January 20, has pledged to pardon those who participated in the Capitol riot.
In an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press,” the president-elect expressed his disdain for Cheney and Thompson, branding their actions as “inexcusable,” and labeling the committee members as “political thugs” while issuing unsupported accusations of them having “deleted and destroyed” collected testimonies. “Honestly, they should go to jail,” he stated. Trump’s communications director, Steven Cheung, claimed that Cheney and Thompson were “an embarrassment to this country” for their roles in the committee.
Additionally, Biden honored attorney Mary Bonauto, who played a significant role in the legalization of same-sex marriage, alongside Evan Wolfson, a notable advocate for marriage equality. Other recipients included Frank Butler, who established new protocols for utilizing tourniquets on battle injuries; Diane Carlson Evans, an Army nurse during the Vietnam War who initiated the Vietnam Women’s Memorial Foundation; and Eleanor Smeal, a leader in the women’s rights movement during the 1970s advocating for equal pay.
The President also recognized photographer Bobby Sager, academics Paula Wallace and Thomas Vallely, and Frances Visco, who leads the National Breast Cancer Coalition. Other former lawmakers receiving recognition included former Senator Bill Bradley from New Jersey; former Senator Nancy Kassebaum, the first woman elected to represent Kansas; and former Representative Carolyn McCarthy from New York, who fought for gun safety reforms following tragic losses in her family.
After presenting the awards, Biden returned to the podium to ask those lawmakers present, including former Senator John Kerry, his inaugural climate envoy, to stand. He encouraged, “Let’s remember, our work continues,” thanking the families for their ongoing support of the honorees. “We’ve got a lot more work to do to keep this going.”
Biden also honored four individuals posthumously: Joseph Galloway, a war correspondent documenting the significant Vietnam battle in the book “We Were Soldiers Once … and Young”; civil rights lawyer Louis Lorenzo Redding; former Delaware judge Collins Seitz; and Mitsuye Endo Tsutsumi, who challenged her internment along with other Japanese Americans during World War II.
Established by President Richard Nixon in 1969, the Presidential Citizens Medal is the second most esteemed civilian award in the United States, following the Presidential Medal of Freedom. It acknowledges individuals who have demonstrated exemplary service to their country or fellow citizens.
