President Trump on Friday awarded seven Americans the Presidential Medal šof Freedom, the highź¦est civilian honor in the US, which is given to those who have made a major cultural impact on the country.
āAmericš·a is blessed to have the most skill, passion and talent anywhere on earth,ā Trump said at ąµ©the White House.
āWe are truly a great nation š¼andš weāre a nation that is doing really, really well right now.ā
Winners included Miriam Adelson, a doctor and humanitarian who is the wifeāØ of Sheldon Adelson, a Vegas casino magnate anź¦d one of the nationās most generous GOP donors.
The other recipients included retiring Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utahā, one of the longest-serving senators in US history; Alan Page, who was elected to the Minnāesota Supreme Court after an NFL career with the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears; and Roger Staubach, the Hall of Fame Dallas Cowboys quarterback.
Posthumous honors were granted to Elvis Presley, Babe Ruth and Antonin Scalia, the conservative Supreme Court justice.
Trump is not the first president to award political backers. In 2013, Barack Obama gave thš e honor to Oprah Winfrey and Bill Clinton.