Politics
These are the 20 people to be awarded with the Presidential Citizens Medal: Liz Cheney, Ted Kaufman...
The diverse group of honorees includes lawmakers, activists, and experts who have been judged to be significant.
President Joe Biden completed a powerful and emotionally charged ceremony at the White House, awarding the Presidential Citizens Medal to 20 Americans of varying importance. These honorees represent a cross-section of American life, from civil rights advocates to medical innovators, political leaders to grassroots activists.
The Presidential Citizens Medal is the second-highest civilian award in the United States, established in 1969. It honors U.S. citizens who have performed outstanding deeds or services for their nation or fellow citizens.
Recipients in 2025
- Mary L. Bonauto: Attorney and activist who fought for same-sex marriage legalization
- Bill Bradley: Former NBA player, U.S. Senator, and presidential candidate
- Liz Cheney: Former Wyoming Representative and vice chair of the January 6 committee
- Bennie G. Thompson: Representative who chaired the House January 6 Committee
- Carolyn McCarthy: Former Representative who worked on gun safety issues
- Nancy Landon Kassebaum: First woman to represent Kansas in the U.S. Senate
- Ted Kaufman: Former Senator and close aide to President Biden
- Christopher J. Dodd: Former Senator and close friend of President Biden
- Frank K. Butler, Jr.: Navy SEAL eye surgeon who advanced battlefield medical protocols
- Diane Carlson Evans: Vietnam War Army nurse and founder of the Vietnam Women's Memorial Foundation
- Bobby Sager: Philanthropist and photographer
- Frances M. Visco: President of the National Breast Cancer Coalition
- Paula S. Wallace: Co-founder and president of the Savannah College of Art and Design
- Collins J. Seitz: Federal appeals court judge (posthumous award)
- Evan Wolfson: Advocate who fought for same-sex marriage
- Eleanor Smeal: Women's rights and equal pay activist
- Thomas Vallely: Academic
- Joseph Galloway: Former war correspondent (posthumous award)
- Louis Lorenzo Redding: Attorney and civil rights advocate (posthumous award)
- Mitsuye Endo Tsutsumi: Detained during World War II with other Japanese Americans (posthumous award)
The White House stated that “the country is better because of their dedication and sacrifice”.
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