President Joe Biden has awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to numerous individuals across several ceremonies. Here is a comprehensive list based on available records:
2025 Recipients:
Hillary Clinton, former Secretary of State
Michael J. Fox, actor and Parkinson's disease advocate
Denzel Washington, actor
José Andrés, chef and humanitarian
Jane Goodall, conservationist
Bill Nye, science educator
Bono, musician and activist
Lionel Messi, soccer player (not present, due to scheduling conflicts)
Earvin "Magic" Johnson, basketball player
Anna Wintour, Vogue editor
Ralph Lauren, fashion designer
George Soros, philanthropist
Tim Gill, entrepreneur and LGBT rights advocate
David Rubenstein, philanthropist
George Stevens Jr., writer, director, and founder of the American Film Institute
Robert F. Kennedy (posthumously)
Ash Carter (posthumously), former Defense Secretary
Fannie Lou Hamer (posthumously), civil rights activist
George Romney (posthumously), former Michigan governor
2024 Recipients:
Michelle Yeoh, actress
Katie Ledecky, swimmer
Nancy Pelosi, former House Speaker
Al Gore, former Vice President
Jim Clyburn, Congressman
Opal Lee, activist for Juneteenth recognition
Ellen Ochoa, astronaut
Clarence B. Jones, civil rights activist and lawyer
John Kerry, former Secretary of State
Judy Shepard, activist for hate crimes legislation
Medgar Evers (posthumously), civil rights leader
Frank Lautenberg (posthumously), former Senator
Jim Thorpe (posthumously), Olympic athlete
2022 Recipients:
Simone Biles, gymnast
Sister Simone Campbell, advocate for social justice
Julieta García, former college president
Khizr Khan, Gold Star father and advocate
Sandra Lindsay, nurse who received the first public COVID-19 vaccine
John McCain (posthumously), former Senator
Diane Nash, civil rights activist
Denzel Washington, actor
Raúl Yzaguirre, civil rights advocate
Here are the recipients:
President Joe Biden has awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to numerous individuals across several ceremonies. Here is a comprehensive list based on available records:
2025 Recipients: Hillary Clinton, former Secretary of State Michael J. Fox, actor and Parkinson's disease advocate Denzel Washington, actor José Andrés, chef and humanitarian Jane Goodall, conservationist Bill Nye, science educator Bono, musician and activist Lionel Messi, soccer player (not present, due to scheduling conflicts) Earvin "Magic" Johnson, basketball player Anna Wintour, Vogue editor Ralph Lauren, fashion designer George Soros, philanthropist Tim Gill, entrepreneur and LGBT rights advocate David Rubenstein, philanthropist George Stevens Jr., writer, director, and founder of the American Film Institute Robert F. Kennedy (posthumously) Ash Carter (posthumously), former Defense Secretary Fannie Lou Hamer (posthumously), civil rights activist George Romney (posthumously), former Michigan governor
2024 Recipients: Michelle Yeoh, actress Katie Ledecky, swimmer Nancy Pelosi, former House Speaker Al Gore, former Vice President Jim Clyburn, Congressman Opal Lee, activist for Juneteenth recognition Ellen Ochoa, astronaut Clarence B. Jones, civil rights activist and lawyer John Kerry, former Secretary of State Judy Shepard, activist for hate crimes legislation Medgar Evers (posthumously), civil rights leader Frank Lautenberg (posthumously), former Senator Jim Thorpe (posthumously), Olympic athlete
2022 Recipients: Simone Biles, gymnast Sister Simone Campbell, advocate for social justice Julieta García, former college president Khizr Khan, Gold Star father and advocate Sandra Lindsay, nurse who received the first public COVID-19 vaccine John McCain (posthumously), former Senator Diane Nash, civil rights activist Denzel Washington, actor Raúl Yzaguirre, civil rights advocate
Pretty funny that Nancy Pelosi got one! They aren't all bad people, but the majority are.