US President Joe Biden has named 19 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s top civilian award. Among them are former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, liberal billionaire George Soros, and culinary innovator José Andrés, who once posed for a photo with the man who attempted to assassinate then-President-elect Donald Trump.
The ceremony to present the awards was held at the White House on Saturday. This honor is given to individuals who have made “exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors,” according to a statement from the White House.
The 94-year-old Soros, who has put billions into promoting liberal democracy in Eastern Europe, was recognized by the US president for his efforts to “strengthen democracy, human rights, education, and social justice” through his Open Society Foundations, as well as “partners and projects in more than 120 countries.” The Hungarian billionaire did not attend the ceremony, and his son Alex Soros, accepted the award on his behalf.