Bill Belichick says he won't accept Presidential Medal of Freedom from Trump

Bill Belichick.
(Image credit: Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)

New England Patriots Coach Bill Belichick announced on Monday night that due to the "tragic events of last week," he will not accept the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Trump.

Trump had planned on giving the medal — the nation's highest civilian honor — to Belichick on Thursday. Belichick publicly supported Trump when he ran for office in 2016, saying he wasn't a "political person" but felt compelled to comment due to "a friendship and a loyalty to Donald."

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.