President Trump said on Saturday that he will award Ben Carson the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
“We are going to be presenting Dr. Ben Carson with the highest civilian award and honor in our country. It’s the civilian version of the Medal of Honor, which is our highest military award. It’s the Presidential Medal of Freedom,” Trump said during an event with the Carson-founded American Cornerstone Institute.
“Congratulations, Ben,” Trump added. “He didn’t know this. He didn’t know it. I hope he’s happy.”
The American Cornerstone Institute says Carson is “ensuring there is an organization fighting for the principles that have guided him through life, and that make this country great: Faith, Liberty, Community, and Life.”
“A champion for logic and common sense solutions, Dr. Carson will always stay true to his principles and his faith, which guide ACI through this volatile time in our nation,” the ACI website states.
Carson was previously named the National Faith Advisory Board Chairman during Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign. “I am honored to serve as the national faith chairman for the campaign and my friend, @realDonaldTrump,” Carson wrote on social media at the time. “It’s imperative that the faith community realizes what is at stake in this election.” He was later selected as the vice chairman of the Religious Liberty Commission.
President Trump established the Religious Liberty Commission in May, declaring that it is the “policy of the executive branch to vigorously enforce the historic and robust protections for religious liberty enshrined in Federal law.”
“The Federal Government will promote citizens’ pride in our foundational history, identify emerging threats to religious liberty, uphold Federal laws that protect all citizens’ full participation in a pluralistic democracy, and protect the free exercise of religion,” the order said.
