Donald Trump wanted to award the Patriots coach the Presidential Medal of Freedom, but following the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Belichick has declined, per a statement issued to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The president has been roundly condemned for inciting the riots on Capitol Hill last week and even some notable Trump supporters have expressed how appalled they are by the storming of the Capitol and the president's response to it.
It was reported Sunday that President Donald Trump meant to bestow the highest civilian honor in the United States to Belichick on Thursday.
The riot spurred many to call for Trump's impeachment or for Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment, which details a procedure for replacing the president in the event that he is unfit the serve. "So anything that he would bestow on anybody to me is meaningless and to accept it is disgraceful".
"I've received a number of inquiries relative to a note that I wrote to Donald on Monday". Trump has stoked conspiracy theories and made false claims about election fraud.
"Congratulations on a tremendous campaign", Belichick wrote, according to Trump - who read the letter onstage at a rally. The comments are not politically motivated.
Belichick has been the Patriots' head coach since 2000 and has won six Super Bowls, a National Football League record for a head coach. Anybody who spends more than five minutes with me knows I'm not a political person. Belichick took the high road and said that while it was a "very nice compliment" he is fine with his day job. After the team's sixth Super Bowl win in 2019, both Belichick and Patriots' team owner Robert Kraft appeared at the White House although the Patriots didn't appear as a group.
Belichick, who grew up in the shadow of Washington, D.C., in Annapolis, Md., where his father was a legendary assistant football coach and scout at the Naval Academy, has been mentioned before by the nation's leaders.
In 2016, Belichick was supportive of Trump after he won the presidential election.
The Pats, who've been coached by Belichick the past 21 years, finished out of the playoffs for the first time in the past 12 seasons. "That's just me. I don't know about their relationship". Give me a couple of ideas.
Bill Belichick wants nothing to do with this award.
