♪♪ good day to all of you from

msnbc headquarters here in new york. welcome to alex witt reports. we begin with the breaking news from the white house as in just moments president den will honor 19 people with the presidential medal of freedom. we expect to see politicians like hillary clinton, athletes magic johnson and lionel messi, actors denzel washington animi kal j. fox, ralph lauren and many more leaders honored for their work. we'll bring you that ceremony as soon as it begins in the white house east room. it should begin shortly as you see how packed it. meantime, we're also monitoring the georgia state funeral for america's 39th president, jimmy carter. that began this morning in america's georgia, former secret service special agents from the carter protective division carried that casket from the medical center to the hearse. the motorcade is taking president carter on his final trip to atlanta. full coverage of an arrival

ceremony at the jimmy carter presidential library and service there starting at the 3:00 p.m. hour eastern. but first, former president trump lashing out after a new york judge rules he will be sentenced in his hush money felony conviction before his inauguration, but will not face jail time. nbc's vaughn hillyard is joining me now from west palm lm beach, just outside mar-a-lago. vaughn, welcome. what was the decision and what comes next? >> reporter: yeah, good afternoon, my friend. look, the headline here is that the president-elect is not going to face any jail time for the guilty verdict that was found unanimously by that jury, almost 34 felony counts for falsifying business records in order to cover up the hush money payment to stormy daniels to improperly influence his 2016 election. in a ruling last night released by judge marmarchand, he will, s intend to sentence the now

president-elect, before inauguration day, january 10th. but in that writing suggested that he will not give him any prison time as part of this sentencing consequence. look at part of the ruling in which judge marchand explains why. he writes in part, quote, it seems proper to not impose sentence of incarceration, a sentence authorized by the conviction but one the people concede they no longer view as a practical recommendation. a sentence of an unconditional discharge appears to be the most viable solution to ensure finality and allow the defendant to pursue his appellate options. unconditional discharge will most likely also include no probation or fines. donald trump is unlikely to face any major consequence for that guilty verdict back in may, alex. as the judge noted, he expects an appeal from donald trump and his team. his legal team has consistently

said they intend to do so. of course, january 10th comes just ten days before inauguration. and once he is sentenced he will formally be a convicted felon at that point in time, alex. >> indeed. okay. thank you very much, vaughn, for that. let's bring in peter baker, msnbc political analyst, chief white house correspondent for "the new york times" an co-author of "divider, trump in the white house, 2017 to 2021. also tim heathy, former lead investigator of the january 6 select committee with a new book out as well. let me start with you, tim. once donald trump is sentenced, he officially becomes a convicted felon. what is the legal significance of this? >> tremendous, alex. i kind of disagree with vaughn's preface that there's no legal consequence. there's obviously a legal consequence any time someone has a felony conviction. can't possess a firearm. in some states you can't vote unless your rights are restored. lots of lateral consequences of

conviction that afflict men and women across the country. those are the legal consequences. the reputational consequence of having a felony conviction. so while it's not a period of incarceration or monetary penalty, there are still collateral consequences just by having the status of being a convicted felon. >> hang on. you're saying a president of the united states would not be able to vote. certain states in which he could, mar-a-lago being his primary residence. i know they tried to restore felon's ability to vote in the state of florida. could donald trump -- >> yeah. i don't -- >> potentially not vote down the road? >> it depends on the state of residence, right? voting is a state function, alex, as you know. the rules that govern elections are state laws. i don't know exactly what the law is in florida. but, yes, in some states a felony conviction precludes participation with many civil rights including the right to vote, the right to possess a

firearm lots of others. >> and tim, judge marchand is signaling trump will not face jail time, he favored this unconditional discharge. so what do you expect his sentence will be? what can trump be sentenced to, if not jail time? >> yeah. it sounds like what the judge is saying that there will not be any active period of incarceration or financial consequence. so it will just be a conviction. i don't know that there will be any specific requirement to do or not do certain things. so, the ultimate sanction will be the felony conviction and whatever legal consequences flow there from. i can't say i'm not surprised by that, alex. a person a first-time offender. no prior criminal record. this is a non-violent offense. again, i don't know that there's really any clear precedent for a case like this. >> yeah. >> but, not shocking that a first-time defendant in a non-violent case receives a sentence that does not include

active vail jail time. >> peter, you spent years reporting on presidential administrations and that includes donald trump, and thus the book you wrote. what does trump entering the white house as a convicted felon mean, not just to the country but to trump himself. >> well, look, obviously he doesn't want to enter the white house as a convicted felon. he has been working very hard to try to wipe out the various criminal liabilities that he had faced in the last four years. he successfully by winning election got rid of in effect the other three indictments, at least two of the indictments and the other one in georgia seems to be on its hind legs because they just got the prosecutor removed. we'll see if that one even goes forward. he wants to get rid of this one, too. it matters to him. it matters, you know, to not just his reputation but his sense of pride, his sense of identity, being a convicted felon, as we just talked about, is a brand on your forehead and will be in his obituary when it is written some day down the

road, first president of the united states ever to be convicted of felony crimes. so, he's acted, in fact, to the judge's decision or judge's decision viciously, vicious attacks against the judge. rather than say this will get me off light, he is going after the judge for refusing to simply dismiss the case all together even though a jury found him guilty. >> so, tim, i'm curious what an appeal process looks like. and i just want to be clear, if judge marchand sentences him this coming friday, january 10th, if he does that, that day, as a convicted felon, does that moniker stay with donald trump during an appeals process? >> yes, it does, alex. the sentencing is the sort of final chapter in court proceeding, the conviction stands. even as he pursues an appeal, which it sounds like he will, he'll challenge the sufficiency of the evidence to sustain the

conviction. he may challenge some of the judge's evidentiary rulings. there were issues with jurors and potential allegation that they were biased against him and not sufficiently screened in the process. there will be claims he will raise to the appellate courts of new york state. but in the meantime, as he pursuing that appeal, yes, that conviction is final. any consequences could be imposed and he'll have the status of being a convicted felon. >> could it be wiped clean if he won on appeal? >> yes. if the appellate court found that there was an error in the trial court's decisions about admission of evidence or any conduct which would be sufficient to the undo the conviction, yes, that would undo the jury's guilty finding conviction. i think that's unlikely here. this was a carefully tried case. i don't see anything -- just in following it in the news, that would give me great pause if i were the district attorney. but again, you don't know until you go through the appellate process. >> okay.

peter, please stay with me. i'll have more to discuss with you in just a moment. tim, you can grab a cup of coffee. you'll be back with me later on this hour. thank you. let's go back to the white house where nbc's aaron gilchrist is awaiting the start of the presidential medal of freedom. what can you tell us about today's list of honorees? >> reporter: alex, we do expect the ceremony to start any moment now. the east room here at the white house has been filling up for the last several minutes or so. and president biden will hand out 19 awards today to these recipients of the presidential medal of freedom. four of them will be giving out posthumously. some of the live pictures coming from the room here again as those people gather. we're talking about people from the world of politics, for example. former secretary of state, hillary clinton, will receive this honor today. obviously also a former first lady and former u.s. senator. the white house saying that she's being honored for her decades of public service. there are others on the list, you can see some of the faces on your screen now.

jose andres the chef and humanitarian who has done work through his world central kitchen organization in war zones and disaster zones, literally all over the world trying to feed people and help people who are in need. you can see some other familiar faces on the screen here. magic johnson, denzel washington, lionel messi, bill nigh the science guy on this list. michael j. fox. these are all people, according to the white house, who have been instrumental in helping to advance the causes of humanity through work that they've done through sometimes their philanthropic organizations and in other cases just through their everyday work you talk about bill n-ye and jane goodall, people who have worked obviously in science sectors but also been key allies and advocates for the environment, for example, something that we know this president has been a champion for as well. he's talked about climate change and the work that his administration has done to try to positively impact climate change.

and so i think you'll see that nexus with some of the people who will be recognized today that they, through their work, have also been connected in some ways, alex, with the work that the biden administration has done as well. you can see, i believe, the middle of the screen there, the president's son, i think back of his head, hunter biden. we do know there are several members of the kennedy family, who are expected to be at this event as well. robert f. kennedy, one of the people who will be posthumously awarded the medal of freedom for work he did as it relates to racial segregation as time as attorney general and work he did on equality issues in his time as a senator as well. so, alex, just to give you a sampling of who we expect to be honored during this ceremony today as president biden wraps up his time in office. >> and yes, to your point, we are seeing hunter biden right there leaning over and whispering to a guest there. okay, aaron, thank you so much. well done giving us a sense of who these people are.

as i bring back peter baker, i'm curious your thoughts. what stands out about this list of recipients, peter? do you think president biden is at all trying to send a message of some sort with these choices? >> well, he is, yes. every time a president gives the presidential medal of freedom it's done with certain priorities in mind, right? of course, when donald trump gave the presidential medal of freedom, for example, to rush limbaugh, literally the middle of the house chamber he was sending a message about his, you know, relationship with the hard right. here you see president biden honoring heroes of the political left as well as major figures in entertainment, humanitarian, athletic and other avorendeavor. obviously the hillary clinton medal as donald trump comes to power again, that who lost to h 2016 and believes that she deserves recognition for a life time of work.

he's talking about rfk, the original rfk, not the junior. i think there's a message there as well. message saying that he honors what rfk the original stood for, not what rfk, the son, stands for. yeah, it is a time for a president who is on the way out to send a couple final messages to the public. >> so, we're going to keep a very close eye on this. when it gets under way, we'll take our viewers there as well. but let me pivot here because today, as you know, peter, begins six days of true butte for 39th president jimmy carter ahead of the state funeral in washington on thursday. what are your expectations for the next six days? >> well, it comes at a very interesting moment in washington, right? a moment when we are in a transition. we just swore in a new congress yesterday and had the fight over whether or not speaker mike johnson would keep his job. on monday, we'll have the certification of the

presidential election which in which vice president harris will preside over the finalization of trump's victory over her. unlike four years ago, we expect it to be peaceful and uncontested. but it reminds us what trump did four years ago in stirring up a crowd that then attacked the capitol because they didn't want to accept an election that he had lost. that's a remarkable turn about in four years. i think if you had woken up on the morning of january 7th, 2021, and said donald trump would be president again in four years, very few people would have believed that. >> right. >> then of course we have the inauguration coming just a few days after carter's funeral. so there will be a moment of sort of civil -- cease-fire maybe in the political, partisan wars to honor a fallen president, but it won't last long. >> you've written 18 articles since the 39th president since he passed last sunday. you also offered a wonderful assessment of carter's presidency and life on the daily podcast. but what is the most important

part of his legacy? >> well, one of the most important parts of his legacy is the lesson of perseverance, right? determination and grit. he demonstrated that you can be a failed politician because he lost re-election and still give back to your country. and he, i think, set the standard for what a former president can do with the influence hat comes with that stature. after leaving the white house, 40 years after, he had some ways more influence he did four years in the white house. he certainly thought so. things he could do as a former president that he couldn't do as a sitting office holder. and i think it has set a standard and set a model for other presidents who have followed in terms of fighting disease, promoting democracy, trying to resolve conflict around the world. didn't always make him popular in the white house among the sitting presidents who found him to be kind of in the way when it came to their own policies.

he was not always a congenial former president with his fears, but he stood for certain principles and i think he indicated with his life and his actions that he believed in the humility that he always preached. he lived what he said he preached. >> i want to tell viewers what we're looking at here. this is the carter presidential center in atlanta. it is where there will be a private service at 4:00 p.m. eastern today. we will be covering that for you live as well as the motorcade carrying his hearse is making its way from his boyhood home and of course, his long-time family home in plains, georgia. there to atlanta. so peter, to that point, though, i did want to ask you quickly about carter and his reaction to people who talked about him being a better ex-president than he was current president. that kind of angered him despite all the accolades you've afforded him, justifiably so and

the things that he did. it's got to be a little bit hard to be thought of as someone who didn't do as well in that magnificent position for which you were elected during those four years. >> yeah. of course he bristled at that. of course he found that to be, you know, a backhanded slap when people say he was a better former president than he was a president, he took that hard. and you've seen, i think, a revision of the historical assessment of his presidency recent years, books by our friends jonathan alter. all basically made the essential argument that yes, he might be admired for his post presidential work and rightly so, but he actually was more consequential as a president, he had a number of great successes even among the failures or the setbacks that he endured, including, of course, most notably the camp david accords between israel and egypt that still stand today, the bedrock

of middle east politics even as we speak in security for israel. really meaningful way. the turnover of the panama canal, has been a bedrock of american relations with latin america for many years. he is the one, of course, who set the country first on the military build-up that reagan got credit for that led in part to the end of the cold war a decade later. a lot of things that you can talk about his environmental record, record of putting women and minorities on the courts and other places that don't get as much attention as the failed handling of the iran hostage crisis or economy. but he's got a lot to talk about. >> yeah. he indeed does. i've just been given a two-minute warning, peter to the white house event getting under way. the bestowing of the presidential medal of freedom on 19 people. anybody on this list, i'm sure you perused it, but from jose andres to bono, to the late ash

carter, former secretary of defense, michael j. fox, jane goodall, anybody that stands out to you and you think, what an extraordinary honor to be bestowed on them to, not that it's not for everybody, but is there someone that comes to mind you think this is the person who will really revel in the gift of presidential medal of freedom. >> well, i'm struck by who won't have a chance to revel in it, fanny, one of the most iconic figures of the civil rights movement, doesn't get a lot of attention in today's public. we all think of martin luther king and malcolm x and others. fanny lou not only fought for the rights of black americans but in effect by her example fought for the presence of women, the role of women in fighting a social movement, fighting for change in america. that was not easy. women were not always welcome in the civil rights movement at that time. and she was a force to be reckoned with. so i find her to be a compelling

figure who probably won't get as much attention as some of the others today and she's long passed. and all these others like jose andres we're seeing here deserve the attention they'll get. but fanny lou hamer is an important member of the history of the civil rights movement and it's fascinating to see her remembered today. >> absolutely. and what we're seeing is, i believe, alphabetical walking in of the recipients. jose andres, there you see bono, of course. we did see the vice president and her husband coming in. taking position of honor. speaking as well with former president clinton. oh, there we see hillary clinton. of course, she will be a favorite in that crowd. and in a room where she is very familiar, the east room there of the white house. >> she's attended many of these herself, of course, during her husband's eight-year presidency and this is one of the things that a president loves to do the most, be able to give these medals to people they respect and admire to be able to call attention to americans who have

done remarkable things in politics but not just politics, throughout the various spheres, jane goodall there, the noted researcher, of course, magic johnson, the star basketball player, people of our generation remembered him quite, you know, poignantly. so many others, i think it's a moment that a president will treasure as he prepares to leave the white house. >> yeah. absolutely. and we are seeing mitt romney, of course, the son of george romney, a much beloved governor in the state of michigan, who is being bestowed the honor posthumously. so they're all coming in. and of course those post hue mouse presentations will be given to family members or designates from the family to receive them. looks like pretty much everyone is there. may i note anna wintour in the front row, sans her sunglasses her signature mark.

it will be nice to see her in that regard as well. we do expect the rival of the president at any time. so let's take a listen, everybody. ♪♪ ♪ >> the president of the united states and dr. biden. [ cheers and applause ]. ♪♪ ♪♪

[ applause ]. please. be seated. good afternoon and happy new year. >> happy new year to you. >> as we gather in this room on january, 2025, imagine march of 1865, president lincoln had just delivered his inaugural deliver at the capitol. he returned to the white house for reception here in the east room. there were many well wishers. but he spotted someone whose opinion he greatly valued. president lincoln asked him what he thought of the speech he had just delivered to the nation by a divided civil war. the man replied, it was a sacred

effort, it was a sacred effort. that man was frederick douglas. here we are nearly 160 years later in a room where abraham lincoln and frederick douglas stood to unify the nation. i'm joined by an incredible first lady jill, we're joined by incredible vice president kamala harris and second gentleman doug, doug, he's a hell of a lawyer, by the way. finally get to get to practice again, huh? for the final time as president, i have the honor bestowing the medal of freedom on our nation's highest civilian honor on a group of extraordinary, truly extraordinary, people. who gave their sacred effort, their sacred effort. to shape the culture and the cause of america. so let me just say to each of you, thank you, thank you, thank you for all you've done to help this country. [ applause ].

you all literally embody the nation's creed -- out of many one. collection of people of different backgrounds, beliefs and talents, from different generations and different genders, using their remarkable gifts and unwavering passion to strengthen our resolve as one nation, under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. it matters. it really does matter. as cultural icons, define statements, dignified statements, humanitarians, rock stars, sports stars, you feed the hungry, you give hope to those who are hurting, and you craft the signs and sounds of our movements and our memories. you know, it's amazing.

your innovation, you inspire, you bring healing and joy to so many lives, otherwise wouldn't be touched. you answer the call to serve. and led others to do the same thing. and you defend the values of america, even when they're under attack, which they have been of late. together you leave an incredible mark. i mean this sincerely, you leave an incredible mark on our country with insight and influence that can be felt around the globe in major cities and remote areas alike. bind us closer as people and show us what's possible in our nation, nothing beyond our capacity while representing your communities, families, ancestors with pride and appreciation at the same time. i would like to recognize those honorees who are no longer with us, including the young man speaking. by the way, kids rule in this

house. okay? [ cheers and applause ]. don't worry about it. y'all think i'm kidding, i'm not. [ laughter ]. ash carter, ms. fanny lou hammer, george romney, bobby kennedy, heroes of the highest order, and bobby kennedy is one of my true political heroes. i love and i miss him dearly and thank all their families. you know, as we carry on this sacred effort of courage and conviction that you all began. so today, i want to congratulate you on all that you've accomplished. i'm grateful for the work you'll inspire for generations to follow, to stay engaged, to never give up, to always keep the faith. in that spirit, from the people's house, abraham lincoln

and frederick douglas and generations of patriots before us stood watch over the public, i began the reading of the citations for this year's medal of freedom honorees. [ applause ]. >> jose andres. [ cheers and applause ]. the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to jose andres from his parent's kitchen in spain, jose andres arrived in america with little money and big dreams. over the course of three decades, he mastered his culinary craft with renown restaurants that span culture and cuisine and bring people together. his world central kit clen

revolutionized humanitarian assistance by mobilizing fellow chefs and providing meals to people left in the wake of natural disasters and war. with his unmatched personality and heart, jose andres shows us that there is a seat for everyone at the table. [ applause ].

bono. [ cheers and applause ]. the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to bono, lead singer of u2, one of the most successful rock bands in history, bono changes the world through his art and activism in an irish tradition of poetry and protest, rebellion and rejoicing, he has composed anthems to peace and civil rights. as a humanitarian, he lifts up causes from ending poverty and disease to calling for debt relief for developing nations. the common beat of his life's work is the power of freedom, a tie that also binds ireland and america as beloved friends. [ cheers and applause ].

[ applause ]. accepting on behalf of ashton baldwin carter is stephanie carter. [ applause ]. the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to ashton baldwin carter a scientist turned secretary of defense, ash carter was a true patriot. over four decades in and out of the pentagon a key leader, thinker and strategist on critical issues ranging from nuclear nonproliferation, counterterrorism and our sacred obligation to equip, care and protect our service members and their families. his scientific and technological innovations made our nations safer and his integrity and mentorship inspired generations

of americans to serve and protect our nation with honor and dignity. [ applause ]. hillary rodham clinton. [ cheers and applause ].

the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to hillary rodham clinton. hillary rodham clinton is guided by the methodist creed, do all the good you can in all the ways you can. as a lawyer, she defended the rights of children. as first lady, she fought for universal health care and declared women's rights are human rights. as senator, she helped new york rebuild after september 11th, 2001. as secretary of state, she championed democracy worldwide. and her nomination for president broke barriers and inspired generations. through it all, her career has been dedicated to an eternal truth, america's ideals are sacred and we must always defend and live by them. [ cheers and applause ].

[ applause ]. michael j. fox. [ cheers and applause ]. the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to michael j. fox. michael j. fox is one of the most beloved actors of our time with remarkable with it and charm, he introduced iconic

characters to the center of american culture. from alex b. keaton to marty mcfly and more. with undaunting resilience and optimism, he also warms hearts and captivates audiences as a fearless advocate for those with parken sons disease, channels his endearing personality to advance treatments, move us closer to a cure and remind us of the power of american possibilities. [ cheers and applause ]. tim gill.

[ cheers and applause ]. the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to tim gill. a leading philanthropist and civil rights leader. tim gill advances the cause of equality for the lgbtq community in america and the world. a visionary entrepreneur, he has helped lead the fight against hiv aids, laid the ground works for marriage equality and so much more. his strong character, unwavering resolve and indisputable effectiveness in fighting for love and equality for all make him a key figure in our nation's story of freedom. [ cheers and applause ].

jane goodall. [ cheers and applause ]. the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to janegood all. dr. jane goodall's childhood passion for animals led her to explore wildlife in africa. her ground breaking discoveries of cham pan zees reshaped conversation methods and redefined our understanding of the connection between humans, animals and the environment we share. jane's activism, vision and message of hope have mobilized a

global movement to protect the planet. above all, she has taught us that when we search for humanity in the natural world around us, we discover it within ourselves. [ cheers and applause ]. accepting on behalf of mrs. fannie lou hamer is mrs. doris hamer richardson. [ cheers and applause ]. the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to mrs.

fannie lou hamer one of the most powerful voices of the civil rights movement. she spent 18 years as a sharecropper in mississippi, before learning that black citizens had a constitutional right to vote. with that newfound freedom, she sacrificed her own safety to organize and register fellow black voters across the south. brutally beaten but undeterred for decades she spoke truth to power, to expand political participation and economic rights for all americans. and left these words echoing the nation's conscience, nobody is free until everybody is free. [ cheers and applause ].

earvin magic johnson. [ cheers and applause ]. the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to earvin magic johnson with unmatched vision and versatility, earvin magic johnson drove the showtime era for the los angeles lakers. five-time nba champion, three-time mvp, 12-time all star, olympic gold medalist and the naismith hall of famer. under the same bright lights his honesty about his hiv status shattered stigma and saved lives. the first -- [ cheers and applause ]. the first retired athlete to build a true business empire, he champions underserved

communities with the legendary will and smile, magic johnson rose from the playground in lansing, michigan to be one of the most beloved athletes of our time. [ cheers and applause ]. accepting on behalf of robert francis kennedy is kerry kennedy. [ cheers and applause ]. the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to robert

francis kennedy, born into a revered family of service, robert f. kennedy forged a path toward freedom that endures today. guided by the constitution as his conscience, he was a key strategist to his brother's successful campaigns for senate and the presidency. before serving as attorney general, senator, and presidential candidate himself. with deep empathy and resolve, powerful pros and poetry he focussed the nation's moral compass at the cause of civil rights. the dignity of the poor and the ripples of hope we can each cast as we choose not division, not hatred, not violence or lawlessness, but love, wisdom and compassion toward one another. [ cheers and applause ].

ralph lauren. [ cheers and applause ]. the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to ralph laurp lauren. u.s. army veteran, ralph lauren transformed a small necktie business into one of america's most iconic brands, leaving a lasting imprint on the world of fashion, fragrance, furniture and beyond. throughout it all, he remains a dedicated philanthropist, including fighting to end cancer as we know it. classic yet creative, timeless yet innovative.

ralph lauren reminds us of our distinct style as a nation of dreamers and doers. [ cheers and applause ]. william sanford nye. the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to william

sanford nye. a washington, d.c. native, bill nye began his career as a cutting edge mechanical career in seattle before becoming a science educator for the nation. earning 19 emmy awards, as bill nye the science guy he earned the trust of millions of chirp and families by sharing the magic of fun in science, he inspires generation of americans to follow facts and reason and leave the world better than we found it. [ cheers and applause ]. accepting on behalf of george w. romney is mitt romney.

[ cheers and applause ]. the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to george w. romney born to humble beginnings as the son of mormon missionaries he developed a deep belief that everyone deserves a fair shot at the american dream. as respected auto executive and three-term republican governor of michigan he served as secretary of housing in urban development, advanced civil rights, tackled poverty and stood up for everyday americans, embodying enduring faith in god and love of country. [ applause ].

david m. rubenstein. [ cheers and applause ] the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to david m. rubenstein from a working class family in baltimore, david ruben stein become a renown leader in business, arts and culture. after serving our nation on the staff of the senate judiciary committee and in president carter's white house, david went on to become a transformational business leader and philanthropist, from advancing cutting-edge cancer treatment to restoring our nation's monuments. his leadership reminds us that at our best we learn from, preserve and share our history so that everyone sees themselves in the story of america. [ applause ].

accepting on behalf of george soros is alex soros. [ cheers and applause ]. the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to george soros, born into a jewish family in hungary, george escaped nazi occupation to build a life of freedom for himself and countless others around the world. educated in england he settled in america as he became an investor and philanthropist supporting key pillars, equity and equality, freedom now and in the future. his inspiring generosity reminds us all of our capacity and our obligation to stand up to the abuse of power and to be guardians of democracy and all

people yearning to be free. [ cheers and applause ]. george stevens jr. [ cheers and applause ]. the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to george stevens jr., born into an entertainment family in los angeles, george stevens jr. found his own purpose as a story teller. as a young aide in the kennedy administration, he produced hundreds of documentaries that championed freedom and democracy. he then created the american film institute and kennedy center honors. lifting up the arts and artists at the heart of american culture. in a career spanning seven

decades, george's creativity, vision has helped redeem the soul of a nation founded on the power of free expression. [ cheers and applause ]. denzel washington. [ cheers and applause ]. the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to denzel washington. denzel washington is considered one of the greatest actors of

our time. over four decades on screen and stage, his portrayals of iconic figures and everyday people have earned him wide acclaim that includes two academy awards, two golden globes, and a tony award so far. [ laughter ]. the admiration of audiences and peers is only exceeded by that of the countless young people he inspires, with unmatched dignity, extraordinary talent and unflinching faith in god and family, denzel washington himself as a defining character of the american story. [ cheers and applause ].

anna wintour. [ cheers and applause ]. the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to anna wintour. the daughter of a former newspaper editor, anna wintour used her creative talent, taste and style for decades to redefine fashion journalism in america and around the world. pushing creative boundaries, she uses fashion as a mirror to reflect our culture and helps the next generation of entrepreneurs and designers to find their vision and find their voice. from the pages of magazines to runways and red carpets, anna wintour cemented her legacy as a global fashion, cultural and business icon.

[ cheers and applause ]. [ laughter ]. not a bad group, huh? [ cheers and applause ]. [ cheers and applause ].

folks. thank you all again. thank you and to your families for your service and their's to the nation. congratulations. but let's remember, our sacred effort continues. we have to keep going. as my mother would say, we have to keep the faith. god bless you all and may god protect our troops. please enjoy the reception. god love you all. >> announcer: distinguished guests as president, dr. biden, the vice president and -- >> what a stellar group receiving the presidential medal of freedom. one more thought from you, peter baker. i know you were watching this with me. ky can i note, i think lionel messi was not awarded. i don't think he was there. he was supposed to be. do you know anything about that? >> i don't. it's possible they weren't able to get somebody if he wasn't able to come himself to accept it on his behalf. but was listed by the white

house. i'm sure he will get the medal in some fashion or another. >> yeah. biggest applause we saw hillary clinton, who is just coming to screen right there and just passed her husband as she's being escorted out. you know, standing ovation for her. not surprisingly. >> yeah. look, a lot of regret in that room, right? a lot of democrats in that room who wish she had been president, who thought she deserved to president, would have been a good one and should have been the one giving out awards like this at the end of a second term. didn't happen. so instead of being president, she's being honored by a president. >> oh my goodness, it would have been the end of her second term had she been elected in 2016. this concludes this hour with you any friend. thank you so much, peter baker. we'll see you again soon. for all of you paying respects to the 39th president, motorcade with jimmy carter's flag- ed casket is heading right now

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♪♪ good day to all of you from msnbc world headquarters here in new york. welcome, everyone, to "alex witt reports". it is official. 10 days before being inaugurated as president, donald trump will be sentenced in new york for his 34 felony conditions -- convictions in the hush money tropical will include no jail time and no real penalty at all. judge juan merchan dismissed trump's efforts to get the case tossed out altogether saying it would undermine the world of -- rule law. today trump slamming the rolling and merchan himself. give us trump's reaction to this ruling. is there a chance the sentencing date won't go forward?