President Joe Biden will present the highest US civil award to Pakistani-origin Khizr Khan, who rose to prominence after challenging ex-US President Donald Trump’s knowledge of the American constitution.
The US president named 17 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which is awarded to individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the United States’ prosperity, values, or security, world peace, or other significant societal, public, or private endeavors.
Khizr is a Gold Star father and the founder of the Constitution Literacy and National Unity Center. He is the father of US Army Captain Humayun Khan, who was killed in Iraq in 2004.
He is a prominent advocate for the rule of law and religious freedom, and he served on President Biden’s Commission on International Religious Freedom.
On July 7, the awards will be presented at the White House.
The White House said in a statement, “These seventeen Americans demonstrate the power of possibilities and embody the soul of the nation – hard work, perseverance, and faith.”
It stated that these individuals overcame significant obstacles to achieve impressive achievements in the arts and sciences, dedicated their lives to advocating for the most vulnerable among us, and acted courageously to drive change in their communities – and around the world – while blazing trails for future generations.
