In a move that has sparked considerable debate, President Joe Biden has announced his intention to bestow the Presidential Citizens Medal upon Liz Cheney, the former Republican representative renowned for her vocal criticism of Donald Trump.
Cheney, who served as co-chair of the House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, is set to receive the nation's second-highest civilian honor.
According to Newsweek, this decision by Biden, made during the twilight of his term, is seen as a significant gesture. Cheney, once a representative for Wyoming, will be among 20 recipients of the Presidential Citizens Medal at a White House ceremony scheduled for Thursday.
The White House, in a press release, lauded Cheney for her courage in "raising her voice and reaching across the aisle" in defense of the nation and its ideals. Her work as a congresswoman and her role in co-chairing the January 6 committee were particularly highlighted.
Bennie Thompson, the Democratic representative from Mississippi who served as the other co-chair of the January 6 committee, is also slated to receive the Presidential Citizens Medal. However, Cheney's staunch opposition to Trump has not been without its repercussions. In February 2022, the Republican National Committee censured both Cheney and then Illinois Representative Adam Kinzinger, the other Republican on the January 6 panel, for their involvement in the investigation into the riot instigated by Trump supporters.
Cheney, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, exited office in January 2023 after losing her GOP primary to Trump-endorsed candidate Harriet Hageman in August 2022. Despite this setback, Cheney continued to campaign, supporting Vice President Kamala Harris against Trump in the 2024 election.
There have been calls for Biden to preemptively pardon Cheney as a safeguard against potential retaliatory attacks and investigations from Trump's camp. Other notable figures set to receive the Presidential Citizens Medal from Biden include Mary Bonauto, an activist instrumental in legalizing same-sex marriage, Diane Carlson Evans, a Vietnam War Army nurse and founder of the Vietnam Women's Memorial Foundation, and former Delaware Senator Ted Kaufman.
In December 2022, the January 6 panel released its final report on the Capitol riot. The comprehensive 845-page document accused Trump of orchestrating a "multi-part conspiracy" to overturn the 2020 election results and recommended that he face criminal charges. Trump, however, pleaded not guilty to four federal charges related to his alleged criminal attempt to overturn the 2020 election results and the events leading up to the January 6 attack. The case was dismissed in November following Trump's election victory, in line with the Department of Justice's policy of not prosecuting sitting presidents.
The White House statement read, "Throughout two decades in public service, including as a congresswoman for Wyoming and vice chair of the committee on the January 6 attack, Liz Cheney has raised her voiceand reached across the aisleto defend our nation and the ideals we stand for: freedom, dignity, and decency. Her integrity and intrepidness remind us all what is possible if we work together."
However, not everyone shares this sentiment. Jason Miller, a senior adviser to Trump, posted on X, formerly Twitter, "Pathetic. With attacks happening in the United States and around the world, THIS is how Biden is spending his time today?"
President-elect Donald Trump also expressed his disapproval, telling NBC's in early December, "Cheney did something that's inexcusable, along with Thompson and the people on the un-select committee of political thugs and, you know, creeps...Honestly, they should go to jail."
As the dust settles on these developments, the Presidential Citizens Medal recipients will be honored at a White House ceremony on Thursday. Meanwhile, Trump is set to return to the White House following his inauguration on January 20.
Login