Trump gives presidential medal of freedom to Republican ally Nunes
Donald Trump has given the presidential medal of freedom, the highest US civilian honour, to Devin Nunes, a Republican ally in Congress who supported him in the Russia investigation, his impeachment and other Washington scandals.
Jim Jordan of Ohio, an “attack dog” for Trump in such matters, is also expected to be given the award.
The Washington Post first reported that Trump, who will leave office on 20 January, had settled on giving the medal to Nunes, a former chair of the House intelligence committee. The White House later said Trump had presented the medal to Nunes on Monday.
Established by John F Kennedy, the medal is meant to recognise those who have made an “especially meritorious contribution” to national security, world peace or “cultural or other significant public or private endeavours”.
Nunes, a former California dairy farmer, was a loyal ally during the special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election and links between Trump and Moscow.
He rejected intelligence community findings, promoted conspiracy theories and, in March 2017, made what his Democratic counterpart Adam Schiff called an “extraordinary and peculiar midnight run” to the White House to view specially provided intelligence material.
The congressman also famously mounted a lawsuit over the activities of Twitter accounts entitled “Devin Nunes’ Mom” and “Devin Nunes’ Cow”.
On Monday, a statement released by the White House called Nunes a “tireless fighter for the farmers of California”.
But it also made a series of nakedly political points, applauding the congressman’s work to investigate “the Obama-Biden administration’s misconduct during the 2016 election”, in which it said he “began to unearth the crime of the century”, being “a plot to take down a sitting United States president”.
The statement recycled Trump talking points from the Russia investigation, and also said Nunes “pursued the Russia hoax at great personal risk” and “had the fortitude to take on the media, the FBI, the intelligence community, the Democrat [sic] party, foreign spies and the full power of the deep state”.
The deep state conspiracy theory, propagated by Trump and his allies, holds that a permanent government of operatives and bureaucrats exists to thwart Trump’s agenda. Former White House strategist Steve Bannon, now charged with fraud, has said the theory is “for nut cases”.
In November 2018, Trump said Nunes should be given the Medal of Honour – an error, as that medal is awarded for military valour.
Trump told Fox & Friends: “What he’s gone through, and his bravery, he should get a very important medal.” Apparently realising his mistake, he added: “Maybe we’ll call it the medal of freedom because we actually give them, the high awards for civilians.”
The statement announcing Nunes’ award called him “a public servant of unmatched talent, unassailable integrity and unwavering resolve”.
Jordan is expected to be honoured next week. A former wrestling coach, he has been accused of ignoring sexual abuse of athletes by a team doctor at Ohio State, a charge he denies.
Jordan emerged as a key “attack dog” for Trump, employing what one observer called a “style of brash, offensive conduct” during impeachment proceedings. He has also backed Trump’s attempts to overturn his election defeat by Joe Biden.
Like most presidents, Trump has bestowed the presidential medal on allies, loyalists and donors. Perhaps his most controversial award was to Rush Limbaugh, the conservative talk radio host who was honoured last year.