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The White House announced Sunday the seven individuals who will be honored by Donald Trump with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The honorees include icon Elvis Presley, baseball legend Babe Ruth, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, NFL hall of famer Roger Staubach, Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Alan C. Page, Senator Orrin G. Hatch, and doctor and humanitarian Miriam Adelson. They will be honored by Trump on November 16.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the Nations highest civilian honor. It is awarded by the President to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.
Presley is probably the most well-known on the list. The musician and actor is an icon in America as well as all over the world. As a musician, he sold more than a billion records with his sound adopted from gospel, country and rhythm and blues. He also starred in 31 films, made numerous television appearances and played to record-breaking audiences at his concerts.
During Barack Obamas presidency, the Medal of Freedom was awarded to many Hollywood figures and reflected his vision for change and progress in the nation. In 2017, Obama surprised his VP and BFF Joe Biden with the honor while in 2016, honorees included Tom Hanks, Ellen DeGeneres, Robert De Niro, Lorne Michaels, Robert Redford, Diana Ross, Bruce Springsteen, Dodgers announcer Vin Scully and Cicely Tyson. In 2015, Obama honored Steven Spielberg, Barbra Streisand, Stephen Sondheim, violinist and conductor Itzhak Perlman, singer-songwriter James Taylor and the Miami Sound Machine power couple of singer/songwriter Gloria Estefan and her husband, musician, and producer Emilio Estefan with the Medal of Freedom.
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