President Donald Trump is the recipient of yet another meaningless award.
Appearing at the National Republican Congressional Committee fundraising dinner held at Washington D.C.’s Union Station on Wednesday night, Speaker Mike Johnson announced the inaugural “America First” award as a “token of appreciation” for the president’s leadership.
“Tonight we have created a new award,” Johnson told attendees at the lavish dinner. “We are going to do something we’ve never done before. We’re going to honor him with a new award that we will present annually from this point forward. He is the suitable and fitting recipient of the first-ever America First award. We can think of no better title for what that is.”
Gesturing to his right, where the statue—one of a golden eagle in flight—was resting on a podium, Johnson continued, “That is this beautiful golden statue here, appropriate for the new golden era in America.”
The award was not handed to the president during the event, and was instead left on stage. When Trump walked out onto the stage, Johnson immediately drew the president’s attention to the statue. Trump, 79, raised his eyebrows, made an impressed face, and patted Johnson on the back. He could also be seen telling the speaker, “That’s nice.”
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.
Trump did not mention the award during his speech, instead opening his remarks by focusing on the $37 million raised for Republican congressional candidates at the dinner.
“Wow, that’s a lot of money,” Trump began. “Congratulations. Well, we have a hot party. We have a very hot party and we have a group that likes to see our country in trouble and we’re going to do something about it,” he continued, taking a swipe at the Democratic Party before thanking attendees for the warm welcome.
The award is the latest in a growing number the president has received. These have included the FIFA Peace Prize, created by the football federation specifically for the president ahead of this year’s World Cup and presented to him by FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the Kennedy Center in December.
“The annual prize recognizes an individual who has taken extraordinary action for peace, and in doing so, helped unite people across the globe,” a narrated video that was played at the ceremony explained.
In addition to accepting manufactured awards, the president has sought to seize awards earned by others, most notably the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader Mariá Corina Machado.
After months of the president’s failed attempts to convince the Norwegian Nobel Committee to give him the award directly, Machado presented her medallion to Trump during a visit to the White House in January.
In an interview with Fox News, Machado explained that she felt that Trump deserved her prize, adding, “It was a very emotional moment. I decided to present the Nobel Peace Prize medal on behalf of the people of Venezuela.”
The Norwegian Nobel Committee, which selects the winners of the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize, responded to the bizarre move with multiple pointed reminders that Nobel Prizes cannot be transferred.
“The medal and the diploma are the physical symbols confirming that an individual or organisation has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize,” the committee said in a statement released in January. “The prize itself – the honour and recognition – remains inseparably linked to the person or organisation designated as the laureate by the Norwegian Nobel Committee.”
