Trump gives Medal of Freedom to House ally Jim Jordan

President Trump on Monday awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, to Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), one of the president’s staunchest loyalists in Congress, citing his defenses of Trump against impeachment and the Russia investigation.

The president awarded the medal to Jordan at a closed-door ceremony at the White House on the same day House Democrats officially moved forward with plans to impeach Trump for a second time. The decision comes amid outrage over Trump’s role in last week’s riot at the Capitol, where a mob of Trump supporters breached the building and multiple people died as a result of the ensuing mayhem.

Trump has not spoken in public since last Wednesday’s riot.

Jordan was among the Republican lawmakers who still objected to the Electoral College certification affirming Joe Biden as the next president, even after the riot.

The White House did not disclose when the ceremony would be taking place, but sent out a news release praising Jordan’s record in Congress. It cited his work uncovering the “Fast and Furious” scandal during the Obama administration, as well as the news that the IRS was targeting conservative organizations.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is typically awarded to figures who have made significant contributions to their field or defended interests of the United States. But Trump has given the honor to several political allies, particularly in his final weeks in office.

Trump last week awarded the medal to Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), another opponent of the Russia investigation, and he previously gave it to controversial talk radio host Rush Limbaugh. The president is also expected to bestow the honor this week on New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick.

The statement on Jordan from White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany went on to laud Jordan for fighting against the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election by “confronting senior Justice Department officials for obstructing Congress and exposing the fraudulent origins of the Russia collusion lie.”

McEnany also cited Jordan’s work defending Trump against his first impeachment, calling the representative “an inspiration to freedom-loving Americans everywhere and has distinguished himself as one of the most consequential members of Congress of his generation.”