Pence to be honored with Profile in Courage Award from JFK Library
Former Vice President Mike Pence will receive the 2025 John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for his role in certifying the 2020 presidential election despite facing grave personal and political risk.
The JFK Library Foundation, which presents the honor each year, announced Thursday the 2025 award will go to Pence 'for putting his life and career on the line to ensure the constitutional transfer of presidential power on January 6, 2021.'
Caroline Kennedy and Jack Schlossberg — the late president's daughter and grandson, respectively — will present Pence with the award at the JFK Library and Museum in Boston on May 4.
Kennedy and Schlossberg, who both sit on the bipartisan committee that selects the award's recipients, issued a joint statement praising Pence for 'putting country first, and not backing down.'
'Despite our political differences, it is hard to imagine an act of greater consequence than Vice President Pence's decision to certify the 2020 presidential election during an attack on the U.S. Capitol,' they wrote in the statement. 'Upholding his oath to the Constitution and following his conscience, the Vice President put his life, career, and political future on the line.'
'His decision is an example of President Kennedy's belief that an act of political courage can change the course of history,' they added.
In the aftermath of President Trump's 2020 election loss, Pence faced pressure to use his ceremonial role in counting the certified electoral votes as vice president to overturn the results of the election. Pence refused, noting he did not have the authority to do so, and he was targeted by Trump supporters, some of whom built a makeshift gallows at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and called for his hanging.
Pence said in a statement he is honored to receive the award.
'I am deeply humbled and honored to be the recipient of the Kennedy Profile in Courage Award,' Pence said in a statement. 'I have been inspired by the life and words of President John F. Kennedy since my youth and am honored to join the company of so many distinguished Americans who have received this recognition in the past.'
The award has been granted in recent years to public figures including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), former Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams (S), South Carolina state senators, and leaders of South Korea and Japan, among others.
The award is named for the late president's 1957 Pulitzer-Prize winning book, 'Profiles in Courage,' which highlights eight senators 'who risked their careers, incurring the wrath of constituents or powerful interest groups, by taking principled stands for unpopular positions.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Why The Planes Russia Lost In Ukraine's Drone Strike Are Such A Big Deal
Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) carried out a massive drone strike against Russia's military on June 1, specifically targeting the invading power's so-called strategic aircraft. These are amongst the most precious assets Russia has, and their loss represents a significant blow not just to the country's pride, but it's actual combat strength. That these attack were conducted so far inside of Russian territory doesn't merely add insult to injury, it massively expands the scope of its vulnerability. Codenamed Spiderweb, the Ukrainian operation involved smuggling 150 first-person view (FPV) drones into Russia, which were then hidden within the roofs of wooden cabins. The cabins were then hauled off by cargo trucks by hired Russian drivers who had no idea they'd become accomplices in a strike against their own country. Once those trucks were parked near the target airbases [Kyiv Post], the roofs were remotely opened, allowing the drones to leap out and kamikaze themselves into the parked planes. Reports indicate that a total of 117 drones assaulted four airbases across the breadth of Russia, damaging or destroying 41 aircraft. While this operation doesn't necessarily change the immediate situation on the ground of the war, it will leave a lasting impact on Russia and, very possibly, the future of warfare. It's a pretty big deal. Read more: These Are The Cheap Cars That Consumer Reports Actually Recommends Buying There are a lot of claims flying around about what planes exactly got hit, not all of which have been verified. Thus far, it seems like the losses definitely include Tupolev Tu-95s (pictured), Tupolev Tu22Ms, and Beriev A-50s. Tu-95s (called "Bears" by NATO) are relics from the 1950s; they don't even use jets, just old-school propellers. Roughly comparable to an American B-52, it is a slow but sturdy heavy bomber. The Tu-22M (called "Backfires") is also a heavy bomber, but has the distinction of being supersonic, capable of flying over Mach 3. They are both capable of firing cruise missiles, and in fact have done so throughout the Russo-Ukrainian War. Critically, they are also nuclear-capable, making them a central part of Russia's claim to superpower status. A-50s (called "Mainstays"), meanwhile, are airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) planes, analogous to the American E-3 AWACS. These are basically flying radar stations, able to detect enemy planes at vast distances and then coordinate friendly aircraft in the ensuing battle. Without them, fighters and bombers have to rely on their own (puny) on-board radar systems. If Russia ever wants to win an air battle, it needs its A-50s. There's a saying that fighter pilots make movies, but bomber pilots make history. Strategic bombers are the planes that can deliver huge payloads into a wide area, causing immense devastation. They're how you take out, say, an entire enemy military base. They are also one leg of the so-called nuclear triad, the name of the three ways one country can nuke another: By intercontinental ballistic missile (the big ones in the silos), by submarine, or, in this case, by strat bomber. To be a major global military power, you have to have a vast fleet of strat bombers. Without them, while you still might be able to conduct smaller strikes against smaller targets, you won't be able to seriously threaten hardened installations from the air, and your nuclear strike capability is curtailed. Operation Spiderweb, therefore, hasn't simply been "another" Ukrainian attack; it has struck a direct blow to Russia's ability to project military force at significant scale. That's bad enough for Russia on its own merits. But it's actually worse than it seems. So Russia has lost some important bombers. Surely, it will just replace them, right? Well, the country has just one small problem: It can't. The Tu-95 and Tu-22M are not even in production anymore, given that they are both Cold War relics. Russia's modern(ish) strat bomber is the supersonic Tu-160 (called "Blackjack", pictured), somewhat similar to America's B-1B Lancer. The catch is that Russia hasn't actually built a Tu-160 in years, and it won't be cheap or easy to get production back up and running again. That means the planes that Ukraine destroyed weren't just blows, but permanent blows. The little country has materially weakened the bigger one, not just for this war, but for the foreseeable future. By how much? According to Ukraine, Operation Spiderweb took out a whopping 34% of Russia's entire bomber fleet. One-third. Of its entire bomber fleet. That can't be replaced. To be fair, it's not yet clear how many of these planes were merely damaged, not destroyed. Some of them will likely be repaired. Then again, there are also unconfirmed reports that Spiderweb also hit some of the precious Tu-160s. If those are also getting taken out, Russia's biggest, most expensive, most devastating planes are getting bombed back into the stone age... by cheap drones. A Tu-160 heavy bomber costs about $500 million. A first-person view (FPV) drone, like the ones Ukraine used in Spiderweb, costs somewhere around $500. FPV drones are designed to be remote piloted using VR goggles so that you can see exactly what the drone sees, unlike more conventional camera drones that you might watch through your phone. This gives the operator a much more detailed view of where the drone is flying, making them a good choice for racing, exploring or, well, blowing up the nuclear strike capability of a major world power. Once smuggled into Russia in wooden cabins hauled by unsuspecting Russian truck drivers, the drones were controlled remotely by Ukraine's operatives via Russia's own 4G and LTE cell phone services. Good thing those airbases had excellent reception (or bad thing, if you're Russian). As kamikaze drones strapped with explosives, all the operators had to do was fly them straight at the strat bombers' most vulnerable points, and then, boom. For what it's worth, immediately after the attack, Russia claimed that it had captured these operators. Ukrainian officials found that interesting, as they replied by saying all the operators were already safely back in their home country. Operation Spiderweb may well be looked back on as a turning point in the development of warfare. The fact that a global world power's nuclear bombers, some of the most important and expensive assets it has, can be successfully destroyed by a couple of cheap drones signals a sea-change in the balance of combat power. Generally speaking, warplanes were considered broadly safe once parked back at their airbase; that's clearly no longer the case. Countries may have to start investing in hardened aircraft shelters, which will be hugely expensive at scale; simply slapping car tires on the bombers clearly isn't enough. In other words, military aircraft are now getting even more expensive to field, while cheap drones are only getting more capable. Meanwhile, on June 4, just three days after Operation Spiderweb, Ukraine's Military Intelligence (HUR) conducted a successful cyberattack against the United Aircraft Company, the manufacturer of the Tu-160 bomber and many other Russian planes. HUR made off with 4.4 gigabytes of classified information, leaving only one thing behind: a graphic image of a Russian plane being snatched by a (presumably Ukrainian) owl. First, strike the bombers; then, strike the bomber manufacturer. All with non-conventional weaponry. Traditional views of military hardpower are being upended by the creativity and heroism of Ukraine's defenders. The future of our world may depend on how other countries, including America, adapt to these lessons. Not surprisingly, Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed to retaliate for Ukraine's daring attack. Indeed, on June 7, Russia launched a huge drone and missile strike across Ukraine, hitting the cities of Kyiv, Chernihiv, Lutsk, and others. On June 9, it then launched its single largest drone attack of the entire war; critically, it targeted an airbase far from the border, thus mirroring Spiderweb in that way. Still, let's be clear: "Single largest drone attack of the entire war" means 479 drones, or just nine more than the previous record-holding strike on May 31, before Spiderweb even happened. In other words, Russia is throwing everything it has at Ukraine on a weekly basis anyway; at least so far, its "retaliations" have been just another day at the office. Putin's war has been so brutal that there may not be much more he can really do. In the meantime, the ground war grinds on. Peace talks between the two sides in Istanbul continue, so far without much to show for it. The question for Putin is how much of a price he's willing to pay to keep the war going, in exchange for what gains. Spiderweb changes that calculus dramatically. Whether a dictator cares remains to be seen. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
The Hill
39 minutes ago
- The Hill
Trump's proposed parks cuts rankle Republicans
The Big Story President Trump's proposed cuts to the National Park Service (NPS) are troubling some Republicans. © iStock The Trump administration has proposed a 30 percent cut to the park service's operations and staffing budgets. In addition, the administration's budget calls for transferring some park service sites to the states — a provision that is sparking particular ire from the GOP. Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) told The Hill the administration's proposed cuts were 'concerning.' 'We want to have some discussions on it and exactly how it's going to affect the park service and exactly what units the states are going to take over management. … We need more information,' added Simpson, who chairs the House appropriations subcommittee in charge of funding the NPS. Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), who described himself as a 'strong supporter' of national parks, said he wants 'to make sure they're adequately funded.' He said the congressional appropriations process will 'sort all this out.' During a recent Senate hearing, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) also expressed concerns about the administration's 'skinny budget' where some of the NPS cuts and the plan to move some parks to the states were floated. 'It's hard to square it with the claims that DOI [the Interior Department] is focused on fostering the American economy,' Murkowski said. During the same Senate hearing, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said he doesn't want to get rid of park rangers or firefighters. At the same time, Burgum said he does think the NPS budget can be reduced by eliminating office workers, including those working in human relations and information technology. Read more at Welcome to The Hill's Energy & Environment newsletter, I'm Rachel Frazin — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads How policy will affect the energy and environment sectors now and in the future: 'Ticking time bomb': Ocean acidity crosses vital threshold, study finds The deep oceans have crossed a crucial boundary that threatens their ability to provide the surface with food and oxygen, a new study finds. California scientists sound alarm on role of pesticides in raising resistance to antifungal drugs The proliferation of new fungicides in the U.S. agricultural sector may be raising resistance to critical antifungal medications in humans and animals, infectious disease experts are warning. Bipartisan lawmakers seek to reverse Trump's staff cuts at program that helps Americans afford heat, air conditioning A bipartisan set of lawmakers is introducing a bill that seeks to reverse the Trump administration's staffing cuts at a program that helps Americans afford heat and air conditioning. What We're Reading News we've flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics: In Georgia, Republicans Vote to Kill Green Jobs but Face Little Fallout (The New York Times) US solar energy growth to slow as Washington priorities shift (Reuters) On Tap Upcoming news themes and events we're watching: What Others are Reading Two key stories on The Hill right now: Pam Bondi's brother crushed in DC Bar Association election Brad Bondi, the brother of Attorney General Pam Bondi, overwhelmingly lost his bid to lead the D.C. Bar Association in a race with record turnout, the organization announced Monday. Read more RFK Jr. fires CDC's independent vaccine advisors Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he is removing every member of the independent panel advising the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccines, an unprecedented escalation in his quest to reshape the agency. Read more Opinions in The Hill Op-eds related to energy & environment submitted to The Hill: You're all caught up. See you tomorrow! Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here
Los Angeles Times
40 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
California sues Justice Dept. over demand that school districts ban trans athletes
California sued the U.S. Justice Department on Monday over its demand last week that local school districts ban transgender youth from competing in sports, arguing the federal agency had overstepped its authority in violation of both state and federal law. The 'pre-enforcement' lawsuit was filed 'in anticipation of imminent legal retaliation against California's school systems' for not complying with the agency's directive by its Monday deadline, said California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta's office, which is handling the litigation. 'The President and his Administration are demanding that California school districts break the law and violate the Constitution — or face legal retaliation. They're demanding that our schools discriminate against the students in their care and deny their constitutionally protected rights,' Bonta said in a statement. 'As we've proven time and again in court, just because the President disagrees with a law, that doesn't make it any less of one.' The lawsuit comes a week after Assistant Atty. Gen. Harmeet Dhillon, a Trump appointee and head of the federal Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, sent a letter to school districts across California warning them that they faced potential 'legal liability' if they did not 'certify in writing' by Monday that they will break with California Interscholastic Federation rules and state law to ban transgender athletes from competition in their districts. Dhillon argued that allowing transgender athletes to compete 'would deprive girls of athletic opportunities and benefits based solely on their biological sex,' in violation of the U.S. Constitution. State Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond responded last week by saying in his own letter to schools that Dhillon's warning carried no legal weight and that school districts were still obligated to follow state law, which requires transgender athletes be allowed to compete on teams based on their gender identity. 'The DOJ assertions are not in themselves law, and the letter by itself cannot be an enforcement mechanism,' Thurmond wrote. Bonta's lawsuit asks a federal court in Northern California to uphold the constitutionality of California's antidiscrimination laws protecting transgender athletes, and to bar the Trump administration from withholding funds or taking other retaliatory actions against school districts that refuse to abide by the Trump directive. The lawsuit falls along one of the fastest growing legal and political fault lines in America: Does the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment — the Constitution's oft-cited guarantee against discrimination — protect transgender rights or undermine them? Dhillon, other members of the Trump administration and anti-transgender activists nationwide have argued that the inclusion of transgender girls in youth sports amounts to illegal discrimination against cisgender girls. Bonta's office and other LGBTQ+ advocates argue that the exclusion of transgender girls is what constitutes illegal discrimination — and that courts, including the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which governs California and much of the American West, have agreed. While Dhillon 'purports that compliance with the Equal Protection Clause requires the categorical exclusion of transgender girls from girls' sports, as courts have previously upheld, just the opposite is true: the Equal Protection Clause forbids such policies of total exclusion, as does California law,' Bonta's office said. State law that allows transgender students to participate in sports consistent with their identity 'is squarely within the State's authority to ensure all students are afforded the benefits of an inclusive school environment, including participation in school sports, and to prevent the serious harms that transgender students would suffer from a discriminatory, exclusionary policy.' Polls have shown that Americans generally support transgender rights, but also that a majority oppose transgender girls competing in youth sports. Many prominent advocates for excluding transgender girls from sports praised Dhillon's actions last week as a bold move to protect cisgender girls from unfair competition. Sonja Shaw, a Trump supporter who is president of the Chino Valley Unified Board of Education, has called on California school systems to adopt resolutions in support of the Trump administration order. 'The stakes couldn't be higher,' Shaw said last week. 'Our daughters deserve safe, fair competition ... But radical policies are undermining that right, pushing boys into girls' sports and threatening their opportunities. We're not backing down.' Shaw, a candidate for state superintendent of public instruction, said other school systems could model these resolutions on one passed by her school district. A handful of the state's 1,000 school districts have passed such resolutions. The lawsuit's claim that retaliation from the Trump administration could be imminent for schools that do not comply with the administration's demands is not entirely speculative. It is based at least in part on repeated threats and actions the administration has already taken against states over its trans-inclusive sports policies. President Trump has said outright that he wants to cut federal funding to California over its laws allowing transgender athletes to compete in youth sports. The federal Justice Department has announced investigations into the state and the California Interscholastic Federation over its inclusive policies for transgender athletes. U.S. Atty. Bill Essayli in Los Angeles, a longtime ally of Dhillon and whose appointment has yet to be confirmed, recently threw his office's support behind a private lawsuit challenging the inclusion of a transgender athlete on the track and field team at Martin Luther King High School in Riverside. Dhillon issued her letter to California school districts after another transgender athlete from Jurupa Valley High School, 16-year-old AB Hernandez, won multiple medals at the state high school track and field championships despite President Trump demanding on social media that she not be allowed to compete. The letter came despite attempts by the state to appease concerns. After Trump's online threats, for example, the CIF updated its rules for transgender competitors. As a result, Hernandez was allowed to compete at the state finals in the girls' long jump, high jump and triple jump, but her qualifying did not result in the exclusion of any cisgender girl. In addition, while Hernandez was awarded several medals, those medals were also awarded to cisgender girls who otherwise would have claimed them had Hernandez not been competing — with the girls sharing those spots on the medal podiums. Supporters of the rule change said it eliminated concerns about cisgender girls losing opportunities to compete and win to transgender girls, but critics said the changes did not go far enough, and that transgender athletes needed to be fully banned from competition. Dhillon's letter demanding school districts certify that such bans were being implemented made no mention of the CIF's rule change.
