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The honorees included high-profile figures like Hillary Clinton, the singer Bono and the philanthropist and donor George Soros.
The conservationist Jane Goodall was one of the people honored by President Biden on Saturday. Credit… Gabriela Herman for The New York Times Jan. 4, 2025
President Biden recognized an expansive cast of public figures, celebrities and cultural luminaries on Saturday with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, covering a list of household names in his final ceremony as president.
The 18 honorees included some of the Democratic Party’s best-known leaders and boosters: Hillary Clinton, the philanthropist and major Democratic donor George Soros, and Robert F. Kennedy, who was given the recognition posthumously.
The list Mr. Biden drew up also included famous figures in sports, entertainment, fashion and film. Here are each of the honorees.
José Andrés
Aside from his fame as a celebrity chef, Mr. Andrés’s philanthropy work became a highly visible element of the war in Gaza during Mr. Biden’s presidency, as his aid group, World Central Kitchen, assumed a dangerous role bringing food into the region after the war displaced the majority of its 2.2 million residents. Last year, seven people working for World Central Kitchen were killed by Israeli airstrikes while working in Gaza, drawing attention to the risk of famine during the war and the dangers facing aid workers.
Bono
The Irish singer-songwriter, whose band, U2, the president has described as a “bridge between Ireland and America,” has enjoyed a close friendship with Mr. Biden during his tenure. Mr. Biden personally introduced the band at the 2022 Kennedy Center Honors and hosted Bono at his 2023 State of the Union address.
Ashton B. Carter (posthumous)
Mr. Carter, a Rhodes scholar and trained physicist, served as defense secretary under President Barack Obama. He assumed the post after a lengthy Pentagon career and used his influence as defense secretary to expand military eligibility for women and transgender service members. He died at age 68 in 2022.
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