President Trump will award the Medal of Freedom to Edwin Meese, who served as attorney general in the Reagan administration, in a ceremony on Tuesday, the White House said in a statement.
Meese, 87, who served as the attorney general from 1981 to 1985, is a member of the conservative Federalist Society and Heritage Foundation.
Meese “has long been a thought leader and strong conservative voice on matters of law and policy. As Counselor to President Ronald Reagan, Mr. Meese helped to craft a foreign policy strong enough to end the Cold War and played a pivotal role in securing historic tax cuts,” the White House said.
Trump has awarded the Medal of Freedom – the nation’s highest civilian honor – to a number of politicians and athletes.
The recipients have included former Yankee closer Mariano Rivera, former NBA players Jerry West and Bob Cousy, golfer Tiger Woods, former Sen. Orrin Hatch and former NFL quarterback Roger Staubach.