Biden bestowed the medals at a White House ceremony, where the outgoing president thanked Thompson and Cheney for their service to the nation. Both have been discussed as candidates for preemptive pardons.

WHICH JAN. 6 DEFENDERS COULD SEE PARDONS

“Together, you embody, and I mean this from the bottom of my heart, the central truth of our great nation,” Biden said. “Our democracy begins and ends with the duties of citizenship. That’s our work for the ages. That’s what all of you, I mean this, all of you embody.”

Republican lawmakers and Trump supporters did not appear to share the president’s sentiment.

“I’m highly offended, but I’m not surprised,” Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) said during on Fox News’s Hannity. “Joe Biden and his White House have lived in the bizarro land, where no other Americans really exist.”

“Everybody knows that the fake Jan. 6 committee, the only purpose was to basically put a lot of propaganda out into the information stream to go after and attack Donald Trump,” he added. “It failed it completely backfired. They suppressed information, they tampered with evidence…So, for them to be rewarded for frankly the lack of transparency and honesty they gave to the American people, is disgusting, but why are we surprised?”

TRUMP NATIONAL SECURITY PICKS: LOYALTY, AMERICA FIRST, AND PRO-ISRAEL

WATCH: “Offended” — Fox News panel fumes over Liz Cheney being given Presidential Citizens Medal: “I just can’t believe President Biden would do this.” pic.twitter.com/enAuaBw4jc

— TV News Now (@TVNewsNow) January 3, 2025

Rep. James Comer (R-KY) called the recognition of Cheney and Thompson a “slap in the face to all the good Americans who deserve to be recognized.”

“Every committee in the history of Congress is appointed by the speaker and minority leader,” according to Comer in the same Fox News appearance as Donalds. “Kevin McCarthy appointed good members to that committee, but Nancy Pelosi rejected them because she knew they would be truthful, and they wouldn’t go along with the false narrative that the media and the Democrats were trying to create about Donald Trump.”

“She kicked Jim Jordan and Jim Banks off and put Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger on there who would just go along with all the fake propaganda that the Democrat National Committee and their friends in the left-wing media were spouting out.”

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) echoed Donalds and Comer’s criticism of the way the Jan. 6 Committee carried out its actions.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM TRUMP’S MASS DEPORTATION PLAN

This is truly unbelievable. Liz Cheney tampered with a witness. Outside of DC, that doesn’t get you a medal; it gets you jail time. https://t.co/ml6qXVHdMj

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) January 2, 2025

“This is truly unbelievable,” Cruz posted to X. “Liz Cheney tampered with a witness. Outside of DC, that doesn’t get you a medal; it gets you jail time.”

“Absolutely disgusting. Who wants to bet she’ll get a pardon next?” one X user asked. “This medal is SUPPOSED to be for those who perform ‘exemplary deeds for their country or citizens,’ but of course, Biden decided to award it to a woman who tried to do his political dirty work.”

🚨 JUST IN: Joe Biden just awarded Liz Cheney, who LIED and tampered with “witnesses” in the J6 committee, the Presidential Citizens Medal

Absolutely disgusting. Who wants to bet she’ll get a pardon next?

This medal is SUPPOSED to be for those who perform “exemplary deeds for… pic.twitter.com/QMNCFnnnrW

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) January 2, 2025

“@Liz_Cheney was awarded the Presidential Traitor Award for doing the bidding of her Communist masters,” another user posted. “She can hang it on her cell wall.”