New Delhi:
Tesla CEO Elon Musk publicly criticised US President Joe Biden’s choice to honour billionaire philanthropist George Soros with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
“A travesty that Biden is giving Soros the Medal of Freedom,” Musk said bluntly on X.
A travesty that Biden is giving Soros the Medal of Freedom https://t.co/LGvGe8kqKE
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 4, 2025
President Biden introduced the recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Saturday, naming 19 people whose contributions span politics, philanthropy, sports activities, and the humanities. Soros, a billionaire investor and founding father of the Open Society Foundations, was cited for his “deal with world initiatives that strengthen democracy, human rights, training, and social justice,” in line with the official White Home assertion.
Different notable awardees this yr embrace former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, soccer legend Lionel Messi, and actors Michael J Fox and Denzel Washington, amongst others.
George Soros’ son Alex Soros amassing the medal on his behalf.
Photograph Credit score: AFP
Soros’ choice has sparked polarised responses, notably given his longstanding function as a key donor to Democratic causes and his frequent vilification by Republican politicians. Critics, together with Musk and a number of other Republican figures, have framed the honour as politically motivated. President Biden, nonetheless, defended the record of recipients as people who embody America’s values and contribute to its world standing.
“These nineteen people are nice leaders who’ve made extraordinary contributions to our nation and the world. They defend the values of America, even when below assault,” Biden said through the announcement.
The Republican Get together has lengthy accused Soros of utilizing his wealth to affect world politics.
George Soros was on the centre of a political flashpoint in India as properly.
The Winter Session of Parliament witnessed chaos in December as BJP chief JP Nadda accused the Congress of being linked to Soros and his organisations. Mr Nadda claimed that the Congress get together was performing as a “instrument” of international forces to destabilise India, citing alleged ties between get together chief chief Sonia Gandhi and Soros-funded initiatives.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge refuted the allegations, calling them baseless and accusing the BJP of diverting consideration from urgent socio-economic points within the nation. The heated alternate led to a number of adjournments in each homes of Parliament.
Soros’ affect and the controversy surrounding him lengthen far past worldwide borders. His Open Society Foundations have confronted pushback in international locations like Hungary and Russia, the place his initiatives are sometimes painted as international interference.