Donald Trump

Trump Awards Presidential Medal of Freedom to Roger Staubach

President Donald Trump honored seven people with the Presidential Medal of Freedom Friday, including former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and two-time Super Bowl winner Roger Staubach.

"Our family is incredibly proud of my father for his selection as a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient," Jennifer Staubach Gates, a member of the Dallas City Council, told our partners at The Dallas Morning News. "This honor is indicative of the life he has led and the example he always set for me, my siblings, his grandchildren and great-grandchildren."

"Dad," she continued, "is a man of moral courage, a man devoted to his faith, family and country. He is a successful businessman who always taught us to put others, especially the underserved, before ourselves. And, of course, he also enjoyed some success playing football for our local NFL team."

The other recipients of the nation's highest civilian honor included Miriam Adelson, the wife of a Trump and GOP donor; retiring Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, one of the longest-serving senators in U.S. history; Alan Page, who was elected to the Minnesota Supreme Court after an NFL career with the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears; and Roger Staubach, the Hall of Fame Dallas Cowboys quarterback. Posthumous honors are being granted to Elvis Presley, Babe Ruth and Antonin Scalia, the conservative Supreme Court justice.

Lindsay Walters, a White House spokeswoman, said Trump used the process that previous administrations have followed to settle on his group of honorees. The process was coordinated by the office of the staff secretary, taking into account recommendations from the public, relevant presidential advisory bodies, the Cabinet and senior White House staff, she said.

The award is given 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."

The winners, and a short biography about each from WhiteHouse.gov, are below.

MIRIAM ADELSON -- Miriam Adelson is a committed doctor, philanthropist, and humanitarian.  She has practiced internal and emergency medicine, studied and specialized in the disease of narcotic addiction, and founded two research centers committed to fighting substance abuse. With her husband, Sheldon, she also established the Adelson Medical Research Foundation, which supports research to prevent, reduce, or eliminate disabling and life-threatening illness.  As a committed member of the American Jewish community, she has supported Jewish schools, Holocaust memorial organizations, Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, and Birthright Israel, among other causes.

ORRIN G. HATCH -- Senator Orrin Hatch is one of the longest serving Senators in American history, having represented Utah for more than 41 years.  Currently the Senate’s President pro tempore and Chairman of the Finance Committee, Senator Hatch has sponsored more bills that have become law than any other living Member of Congress.  He has led the way in confirming qualified judges throughout the Federal judiciary in order to protect our constitutional order, and has championed religious liberty, fought against communism, and stood on the side of freedom around the world.

ALAN C. PAGE -- Justice Alan Page is an accomplished jurist, athlete, and philanthropist.  After a successful college football career at the University of Notre Dame, he played 15 years in the National Football League with the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears.  He started in four Super Bowls, was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 1971, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988. While playing for the Vikings, he obtained his law degree and practiced law during the off-season.  After retiring from the NFL in 1981, Justice Page practiced law full-time before winning a seat on the Minnesota Supreme Court in 1992. He served for more than 20 years. Since 1988, his Page Education Foundation has provided scholarships to nearly 7,000 students.

ELVIS AARON PRESLEY -- Elvis Presley defined American culture to billions of adoring fans around the world. Elvis fused gospel, country, and rhythm and blues to create a sound all his own, selling more than a billion records. Elvis also served nearly 2 years in the United States Army, humbly accepting the call to serve despite his fame.  He later starred in 31 films, drew record-breaking audiences to his shows, sent television ratings soaring, and earned 14 GRAMMY Award nominations.  He ultimately won 3 GRAMMY Awards for his gospel music.  Elvis Presley remains an enduring American icon 4 decades after his death.

GEORGE HERMAN “BABE” RUTH, Jr -- George Herman “Babe” Ruth, Jr. played for four baseball teams between 1914 and 1935.  He set records that stood for decades, including 714 home runs, 2,873 hits, 2,174 runs, and 2,062 walks—and he remains unmatched with a .690 slugging percentage.  Over 15 legendary seasons, Babe Ruth led the Yankees to 7 American League championships and 4 World Series championships.  His legacy has never been eclipsed, and he remains the personification of “America’s Pastime.”  Off the baseball field, he created The Babe Ruth Foundation and tirelessly raised funds for the war effort during the Second World War.

ANTONIN SCALIA -- Antonin Scalia was one of the greatest Supreme Court justices in American history.  Confirmed unanimously in 1986, Justice Scalia authored nearly 900 Supreme Court opinions.  He was a champion of the Constitution, insisting that the role of Federal judges is to uphold the original meaning of the Constitution—never to impose their own beliefs on the country.  Justice Scalia’s legal philosophy is rooted in America’s founding principles, legal heritage, and constitutional obligations.  He never backed down from the bedrock proposition that the Constitution “means and will always mean what it meant when it was adopted.”

ROGER STAUBACH -- Hall-of-Fame quarterback Roger Staubach played 11 seasons in the National Football League, winning two Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys, and making the Pro Bowl six times.  He first made his mark on football at the United States Naval Academy, where he set 28 records and won the Heisman Trophy in 1963. Soon after graduating, Mr. Staubach volunteered to fight in the Vietnam War.  Following his football career, he was a successful businessman and a champion for many charitable causes, including the United Way of America, the Children’s Scholarship Fund, and Allies in Service, an organization devoted to supporting service members, veterans, and their spouses.

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