On Monday, Trump plans to give Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) the highest civilian tribute. On Tuesday, he plans to visit Alamo, Texas, to visit a section of the US-Mexico border wall. And on Thursday, Trump plans to award the New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick the Presidential Medal of Freedom, according to a White House official.
A Patriots spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The president’s efforts to pursue a normal schedule of events amid the turmoil he inspired began last week when, after the disturbances, he awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to professional golfers Annika Sorenstam and Gary Player. This week’s events will have a similar gloomy scenario. Democrats can vote as early as Tuesday on impeachment articles for inciting the violent crowd that sacked the Capitol, Whip Jim Clyburn (DS.C.) in the House during an appearance on Fox News.
Apparently, not everyone in management is doing business normally. Vice President Mike Pence also planned to host events this week highlighting policy victories for the administration. Now, however, he is expected to stay hidden during his final days at the White House, according to people close to him. Pence and Trump have supposedly it was not spoken after crowds of Trump supporters descended the hill while Pence was there overseeing the Electoral College certification in Congress.
With only 10 days left of his term, Trump is trying to take advantage of the presidency’s power until the last minute. He reflected on preventive pardons for family members and even his closest employees, and is expected to take a final ride on Air Force One back to Florida, before Biden’s inauguration, in a final affront to the election results.
The Belichick Medal for Freedom will represent the culmination of one of the most public relations that Trump had with an important sport figure during the course of his presidency.
Last month, Trump reassigned Belichick to the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, and before that, he welcomed Belichick and the Patriots to the White House after his Super Bowl victory against the Atlanta Falcons in 2017. But the team did not go to a traditional post-championship ceremony in 2019 after winning the Super Bowl again, although Trump’s owner and friend Robert Kraft made personal appearances without the team.
Belichick wrote a letter of support to Trump during the 2016 election, and the president called him “a very good friend”. The admiration is so deep that Trump thought about turning to the coach as a military adviser.
“He’s a great friend of mine. He’s a winner, ”Trump told Hugh Hewitt during a radio interview in August. “You know, if I ever had a military battle, would I call Belichick and say what you think? What do you think? Give me some ideas. “
Belichick, who has no military experience – but whose father was an advanced scout at the Naval Academy – said it was “a very good compliment”, but he is fine with his day job.
“I’m flattered by that,” Belichick told Boston’s WEEI radio station. “But I will limit myself to coaching football.”
Gabby Orr contributed to this report.