The aftermath of the storming of the US Capitol on Wednesday has been a raucous, troubling affair, with President Trump assuming much of the blame for the event both in the media and in the halls of Congress.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have condemned the President in the wake of the insurrection, often loudly suggesting that Trump himself isn’t nearly as perturbed by the events as he should have been. Twitter and Facebook have silenced the Commander in Chief, and online payment portals such as Shopify have blacklisted he and his businesses.
The PGA even announced that they’ve relocated a 2022 event from one of his golf courses on account of the uprising.
Now, on the other end of the sports world, a highly decorated NFL coach has decided that he’d rather not receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Trump, either.
Bill Belichick declined to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Trump, seemingly breaking from a friendship with the billionaire business mogul.
Belichick put out a statement Monday after a report surfaced he would receive it later this week.
“Recently, I was offered the opportunity to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which I was flattered by out of respect for what the honor represents and admiration for prior recipients. Subsequently, the tragic events of last week occurred and the decision has been made not to move forward with the award,” he said in a statement.
“Above all, I am an American citizen with great reverence for our nation’s values, freedom and democracy. I know I also represent my family and the New England Patriots team. One of the most rewarding things in my professional career took place in 2020 when, through the great leadership within our team, conversations about social justice, equality and human rights moved to the forefront and became actions. Continuing those efforts while remaining true to the people, team and county I love outweigh the benefits of any individual award.”
The House of Representatives will look to impeach Donald Trump on Wednesday, making him the only President to have received the admonishment twice in his career.
