Donald Trump to award Bill Belichick the Medal of Freedom

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is getting awarded with the Medal of Freedom from the outgoing President of the United States.

Donald Trump has less than two weeks remaining in the White House after losing the Presidential Election to former Vice President Joe Biden. This past Wednesday, a pro-Trump mob raided Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. after attending a rally by the President, who continued to spew false claims of election fraud. The act of domestic terrorism resulted in the deaths of five individuals, one of whom was a U.S. Capitol police officer. With articles of impeachment set to hit the Congress floor this week for inciting those who stormed the Capitol, Trump is moving forward with his schedule as if nothing happened.

According to Meridith McGraw of POLITICO, Trump is planning to award the Medal of Freedom to New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick this Thursday.

McGraw says that a spokesperson for the Patriots didn’t immediately respond for comment.

Belichick not the only sports figure to receive the Medal of Honor

The Medal of Freedom is the highest honor a civilian can receive and is awarded to “individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the security or national interests of America, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors,” per the White House’s official website.

Belichick isn’t the only former sports figure to receive this honor from Trump. Roger Staubach, Mariano Rivera, Tiger Woods, Roger Penske, Bob Cousy, Jerry West and Lou Holtz have all received the Medal of Freedom. Trump awarded golfers Gary Player, Annika Sorenstam and Babe Didrikson Zaharias (posthumously) with the Medal of Freedom one day after the attack on Capitol Hill.

Back in 2016, Belichick wrote a letter of support on Trump’s presidential run. In 2018, Belichick was named to the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition in 2018 before being reappointed by Trump just last month.