President Donald Trump will grant the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civilian honor, to former Attorney General Edwin Meese III, the White House announced Monday.
“Edwin Meese III has long been a thought leader and strong conservative voice on matters of law and policy,” the White House said in a statement. “As Counselor to President Ronald Reagan, Mr. Meese helped to craft a foreign policy strong enough to end the Cold War and played a pivotal role in securing historic tax cuts. As Attorney General, he promoted Federalism and the original public understanding of our Constitution. Since leaving public service, Edwin Meese has continued to champion our Nation’s founding principles through his extensive work at The Heritage Foundation.”
The White House notes that the Medal of Freedom is awarded “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.”
Recent recipients of the award include former Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, economist Arthur Laffer, as well as basketball player Bob Cousy and baseball player Mariano Rivera.
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