President Donald Trump announces that Welles Crowther, a first responder associated with the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and widely remembered as the “Man in the Red Bandana,” will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously. The announcement comes as the United States approaches the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks, according to accounts of Trump’s remarks.
Multiple outlets report that Trump reveals the honor during a visit to Rockland County, where he discusses the recognition for Crowther. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is described as the highest civilian honor in the United States.
The reporting focuses on the timing of the announcement and the nature of the award: it is granted after Crowther’s death and is tied to his remembrance for actions during the Sept. 11 attacks. Sources do not conflict on the basic details of who is being honored, the type of award, or the general circumstances of the announcement.
