President-elect Trump on Friday blasted President Biden for awarding former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) the Presidential Citizens Medal, saying he gave them “fake medals.”
Cheney was recognized by Biden on Thursday for her service in Congress and for her service as vice chair on the special House committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Thompson, who served as chair of the Jan. 6 committee, was recognized by Biden on Thursday for his “lifelong dedication to safeguarding our Constitution.”
Both lawmakers have long been criticized by Trump considering their work largely centered on probing what role, if any, he had in inciting a mob of supporters who eventually overtook the Capitol to contest President Biden's 2020 election victory.
In a Truth Social post, Trump said: “Biden gave Liz Cheney a Medal yesterday, even though she has proven to be totally corrupt. She, ‘Bennie’ Thompson, and the rest of the Unselect Committee, destroyed and deleted all evidence from their crooked investigation of January 6th.”
Trump said Cheney has “the distinction of losing her Congressional seat by the largest margin in History!” and said that “Biden rewarded her only because she hated ‘TRUMP.’”
He also called her “a Warmonger of low intelligence” and said “all she wants to do is kill people” for the benefit of defense companies. Cheney is the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney and campaigned with Vice President Harris to warn of Trump's threats to democracy.
Trump called Thompson, Cheney, and former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), who is another outspoken critic of the president-elect, “thugs” and continued to lay blame on former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) over security failures on Jan. 6, which the California Democrat has soundly contested.
Trump has repeatedly claimed Pelosi turned down an offer for National Guard troops on Jan. 6, 2021, but he never formally requested troops before or during the riots, which led to an hours-long delay in their arrival, according to an AP fact check.
“Liz Cheney, Cryin’ Adam Kinzinger, Bennie Thompson, and the rest of these dishonest Thugs have gotten away with horrible things under the pretense of January 6th. Nancy Pelosi refused to accept the help which was offered for security. She is responsible, and admitted as much, for all to see, on her daughter’s tape. They have destroyed the lives of many people, and are rewarded by getting Biden Fake Medals. This is not America,” Trump said.
Trump himself awarded such a medal during his first term. In November 2019, he posthumously awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal to Col. Richard Rescorla, a Vietnam war veteran who died in the South Tower on Sept. 11, 2001, while saving others.
During his first term, Trump faced controversy over his choice of Medal of Freedom awardees, which honors civilians. He gave that medal to the late conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh, as well as Miriam Adelson, the wife of the late GOP megadonor Sheldon Adelson. Trump in August argued the Medal of Freedom is “much better” than the Medal of Honor, which goes to military service members.
The Presidential Citizens Medal recognizes Americans for their service to the country. When Cheney’s name was called for her medal during the ceremony at the White House, she received a standing ovation.
Other Republicans have also accused her of fueling partisan tensions. Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) said earlier Thursday that Biden “was either going to pardon Liz Cheney or give her an award. She doesn’t deserve either. She represents partisanship and divisiveness — not Wyoming.”
