675 recipients have been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom from 1963 to 2026. Former baseball player Roger Clemens was announced as the latest recipient on Wednesday. The President of the United States, Donald Trump, was unhappy that the Baseball Writers Association of America had not elected Roger Clemens to the Baseball Hall of Fame. So the POTUS took the matter into his own hands and decided to compensate Clemens. The President announced that he would award the Boston Red Sox legend the highest honor for a civilian in the US— the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
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“Forget about the Hall of Fame. He’ll get there someday. I mean, I don’t know how they can keep them out…But tonight I’m announcing that Roger Clemens is being given the single highest award… We’re giving him the Presidential Medal of Freedom,” said Trump, per Eric Daugherty on X. “…and he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. But this is a big step up from the Hall of Fame: the Presidential Medal of Freedom.”
The POTUS made the surprising announcement at a political rally in Texas. Trump’s decision reignited the debate about Clemens’ Hall of Fame candidacy.
Across his 24-year-long career in baseball, Roger Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, two World Series championships, an AL MVP award, two 20-strikeout games, and two triple crowns. He also earned 11 All-Star nods.
Clemens spent the majority of his career with the Boston Red Sox (1984-1996), alongside shorter stints with the Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros, and New York Yankees. The starting pitcher holds a 3.12 career ERA and a 354-184 record in 709 outings, with 4672 strikeouts.
Despite having one of the most impressive resumes in MLB, Clemens never acquired 65.2% of the BBWAA vote, per Yahoo Sports.
The reason?
The allegations of using performance-enhancing drugs against Clemens. In 2007, former U.S. Senator George Mitchell’s investigation accused Clemens of using anabolic steroids and human growth hormone in the later years of his career. Clemens’ former personal trainer, Brian McNamee, also alleged that he injected the player with steroids and HGH from 1998 to 2001.
Clemens’ teammate and close friend, Andy Pettitte, also testified against him, stating that the pitcher mentioned using PEDs during a conversation once. However, Pettitte later conceded in 2012 that he might have misunderstood Clemens.
Clemens, on the other hand, has always vehemently denied ever using steroids or HGH to enhance his performance. But the controversy was enough to roadblock his journey to the Hall of Fame.
However, for Trump, Clemens’ denial was enough to believe that he never used PEDs. The President defended his golf buddy, saying, “People talk drugs; he never admitted to anything. They have no information. They didn’t find anything. It’s not like, ‘Oh jeez, load it up.’ He never admitted to anything. He’s just a physical monster, OK?”
The President also promised that he would talk to the MLB Commissioner, Rob Manfred, about Clemens’ Hall of Fame candidacy. Last year, after Pete Rose passed away, Trump successfully convinced MLB to lift Rose’s lifetime ban and posthumously allow him into the Hall of Fame. After Trump’s involvement, MLB officially removed Rose and other deceased players from the ineligible list.
Now, the President wants to help Clemens. Only time will tell whether he will be successful or not, but Clemens is grateful for the honor he received.
Roger Clemens feels “stunned” to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is awarded to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors. Trump called Clemens the “one of the greatest athletes” and “maybe the greatest pitcher of all time” while bestowing the honor. Then, he called Clemens up on the stage.
“Well, I’m stunned, number one,” said the former player, per Eric Daugherty on X. “And again, 24 years, y’all, this supersedes anything that obviously I’ve done in my playing career. And to get it from this man, this president, there wouldn’t be another president I’d want to get it from.
“And announcing it here in my home state. And again, from this, this man, you’re talking about a winner.”
Clemes spent ten years on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America’s Hall of Fame ballot but never reached the required 75% threshold to become a Hall of Famer.
Clemens fell short again in 2025. Under the current Hall of Fame rule, Clemens will not be eligible for consideration until 2031. But it will be worth following to see if Trump’s involvement smooths out his path to Cooperstown.