WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Pope Francis on Saturday and awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction, the country’s highest civilian honor, the White House said.
It was the first time during his four years in office that Biden awarded the medal “with distinction,” he said.
Biden this week canceled his trip to Rome, where he was due to meet in person with the Pope, to oversee the federal response to the deadly fires in California.