The Rose Garden ceremony also publicly rewarded a prominent athlete whose relationship with the president stands in contrast to that of African-American sports superstars like LeBron James and Stephen Curry who have staked out public stances against Mr. Trump. Some championship teams, or individual members, have declined to visit the White House for traditional title celebrations, particularly after the president called for sports teams to fire any player who joined in a growing protest of racial discrimination and police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem.
During Monday’s ceremony, Mr. Woods received a standing ovation and thanked the president for the honor before thanking his mother, Kultida, and his children, Sam and Charlie. Erica Herman, Mr. Woods’s girlfriend, and Joe LaCava, his longtime caddie, were also in the audience.
“This has been an unbelievable experience,” Mr. Woods told the group of family, friends and supporters, which included Mr. Trump and much of his cabinet. “You’ve seen the good and the bad, the highs and the lows, and I would not be in this position without your help.”
Like other presidents, Mr. Trump has awarded the medal to people sure to please his political base: Miriam Adelson, the Las Vegas physician and prominent Republican donor, has also received the award, as has the retired Senator Orrin G. Hatch, a Republican from Utah. But unlike his predecessors, Mr. Trump has been upfront about rewarding people he feels have enthusiastically supported him.
When awarding the medal to Mr. Hatch last year, Mr. Trump confirmed that reasoning: “He liked me from the very beginning, and therefore I like him,” adding, “I guess I’m not supposed to say it, but that’s the way life works, right?”
In the past, Mr. Woods has offered words of mild support when approached by reporters about his relationship with Mr. Trump.
Source : NYtimes
