Online progressives and leftists attacked humanitarian activists Bono and chef Jose Andres for accepting the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Joe Biden on Saturday, claiming the pair were endorsing genocide.
Bono, the world-famous Irish frontman to the rock band U2, and Jose Andres, a Spain-born chef who has risen to prominence for his charity work with his World Central Kitchen program, were two of the 19 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor attainable in America, on Saturday.
WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 4: U2 singer Bono is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by U.S. President Joe Biden in the East Room of the White House on January 4, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Biden is awarding 19 recipients with the nation’s highest civilian honor. Tom Brenner/Getty Images
While both celebrities have previously been on the receiving end of liberal praise for their charity and compassion, pro-Palestinian activists on X ripped them for appearing with President Biden amid what the activists claim is a presidency that has supported a genocide propagated by Israel.
“If Jose Andres gave a shit about starving Palestinians and his Palestinian staff in Gaza – targeted and killed by Israeli weapons funded by Biden himself – and not just gaining clout, he would have refused this award on principle. Beyond shameful,” activist Miranda Cleland wrote Sunday. (RELATED: Immigrant Celebrity Chef With Long-Time Trump Feud To Shut Down DC Restaurants In Protest)
If Jose Andres gave a shit about starving Palestinians and his Palestinian staff in Gaza – targeted and killed by Israeli weapons funded by Biden himself – and not just gaining clout, he would have refused this award on principle. Beyond shameful. https://t.co/z05SpU04Ii
— Miranda Cleland (@MirandaCleland) January 5, 2025
The activists bashed Andres despite the fact that his charity has been actively engaged in delivering charity and aid to Palestinians amid the Israel-Hamas conflict. The World Central Kitchen (WCK), however, suspended its operations in Gaza in April after the Israeli Defense Forces struck a WCK convoy with missile fire, killing seven WCK aid workers. While WCK restarted operations, they suspended them again in November after an Israeli airstrike hit another one of their convoys in Gaza. The IDF claimed it struck a WCK worker who participated in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, according to The Associated Press. The WCK said they had no information that any of the workers in the vehicle struck were allegedly involved in the attack.
“Love the Chef, but how could he accept this award from the head genocider? The Chef’s staff were murdered by evil Israel with US money, I would have told genocide joe to fuck right off,” another X user, Christine Morrison, wrote Monday.
“It’s insane to me that he showed up to happily receive this,” Will Menaker, co-host of the popular leftist podcast “Chapo Trap House,” wrote Sunday.
Another popular account chimed in, simply telling Andres “You are garbagè.”
WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 4: (L-R) Chef Jose Andres, and U2 singer Bono help ethologist and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall ahead of her reception of the Presidential Medal of Freedom by U.S. President Joe Biden in the East Room of the White House on January 4, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Biden is awarding 19 recipients with the nation’s highest civilian honor. Tom Brenner/Getty Images
The criticisms for Andres extended to Bono as well. Despite a well-documented career of humanitarian work and charity, leftists came for him all the same. (RELATED: U2’s Bono Seemingly Thanked For Ending Genocide In New Documentary)
“Biden is giving the award because Bono is the only Irish Catholic who doesn’t care at all about the Palestinians,” Jeet Heer, writer at the left-wing magazine The Nation, said on X.
Many of Bono’s own countrymen signaled their disdain for his actions.
“Irish rock star Bono shows 15 months of managing to ignore the Gaza Genocide really pays off,” one Irish blogger wrote.
“As an Irish person I’m disgusted by this image. We stand with the oppressed. We don’t stand with imperialist evil murderous monsters. Tens of thousands of us have been protesting here against this evil. Shame on you Bono,” Irish musician Martin Leahy tweeted Sunday.
As an Irish person I’m disgusted by this image.
We stand with the oppressed.
We don’t stand with imperialist evil murderous monsters.
Tens of thousands of us have been protesting here against this evil.
Shame on you Bono. pic.twitter.com/2bRzNM7ETL
— Martin Leahy (@TheNewReview2) January 5, 2025
One activist simple tweeted “Bono is a cunt.”
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