The Brief President Donald Trump announced Saturday that he will award Ben Carson the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is considered the U.S. government's highest civilian honor. President Donald Trump announced Saturday that he will award Ben Carson the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He announced on Sept. 1 that he was awarding former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Trump awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to 24 people total during his first term, including golf superstar Tiger Woods and Sen. Orrin Hatch, one of the longest-serving senators in American history.