NEW YORK – President-elect Donald Trump, who has recently been primarily residing at Mar-a-Lago, is set to make a special appearance outside of his Florida retreat. He will accept the prestigious “Patriot of the Year” award during the FOX Nation’s Patriot Awards on Thursday evening.
Trump, while actively announcing his administration appointments, is scheduled to travel to Long Island, New York, for this annual awards ceremony hosted by the Fox News streaming service. The event will be presented by Sean Hannity, a longtime friend of Trump, who took over hosting duties after the president-elect appointed Pete Hegseth as defense secretary.
The yearly awards are meant to “honor and recognize America’s finest patriots, including military veterans, first responders, and other everyday heroes who inspire,” as stated by Fox.
Earlier this week, Trump shared on his Truth Social platform that he is “greatly looking forward” to accepting the Patriot of the Year accolade, referring to it as “so nice!”
This award signifies Fox’s renewed support for the president-elect, especially given the complicated history they have had in recent times. In 2023, Fox settled a $787 million defamation lawsuit from Dominion Voting Systems, which stemmed from misleading statements made by Fox figures who supported Trump’s unfounded claims about the 2020 election involving widespread voter fraud. Following the lawsuit, Fox had enforced what many perceived as a temporary “soft ban” on Trump appearances, trying to move past recent controversies. However, with public sentiment appearing to favor Trump, Fox’s personalities have swiftly re-embraced him.
Various Fox personalities have had their own unique journeys regarding Trump. For instance, former host Megyn Kelly, who previously faced Trump’s ire over pointed questions in a 2015 debate about his treatment of women, has since become a popular podcast host and vocal supporter of Trump. Additionally, the Dominion lawsuit revealed emails where Tucker Carlson, another former Fox figure, expressed negative opinions about Trump, even stating he was eager for Trump’s presidency to end. In more recent developments, they have appeared to reconcile their differences.
Throughout these events, Trump has not hesitated to voice his discontent on social media regarding Fox’s coverage, particularly when he feels it lacks adequate loyalty.
Recently, Trump has started to make more public appearances after spending the majority of his transition period at his Palm Beach club. Just this week, he unexpectedly attended a memorial service to honor three deputies from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office who tragically lost their lives in a car accident last month.
Looking ahead, he is scheduled to travel to Paris this weekend to join global leaders in a ceremony celebrating the reopening of the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral, which had been severely damaged by a fire five years ago.
