US House speaker gives Trump so-called ‘America First’ award amid global chaos

Amid an aggressive war in Iran, heightening and devastating pressure on Cuba, immigration enforcement operations throughout the country and a partial government shutdown, the lead Republican in the House has given Donald Trump a newly concocted award.

Democrats, lawmakers and commentators are criticizing and ridiculing the “America First” award given to Trump on Wednesday evening during the National Republican Congressional Committee fundraiser.

“The president has done so much for the American people and we want to honor him, in some small way, some token of our appreciation for his leadership,” said Mike Johnson, the US House speaker. “So, tonight, we have created a new award.”

Johnson then introduced the “America First” award, made up of a golden eagle statue.

“We could think of no better title for what that is,” said Johnson. “That’s this beautiful golden statue here – appropriate for the new golden era in America.”

The award will be given annually, Johnson said.

The new award has led to criticism and ridicule, with commentators criticizing an award given to Trump amid a series of domestic and global crises.

“Little Mike Johnson and all those Republicans have just created yet another participation trophy to give their very special boy in the White House to make sure he feels good about himself,” said Jen Psaki, former White House press secretary and the host of a show on MS Now.

“Any other adult in this country would feel completely embarrassed by the patronizing way that Trump is showered with fake awards on a near-daily basis. That’s just how Republicans have to treat this president,” Psaki added.

The “America First” award follows a series of other similar awards that have been manufactured and given to Trump.

Last month, Trump was given the “Undisputed Champion of Beautiful, Clean Coal” award by a number of mining executives at the White House. In December, Trump was given the Fifa peace prize, an award that was made up and presented to him for promoting “peace and unity” around the world. And in October, the recipient of the Nobel peace prize, María Corina Machado, the rightwing Venezuelan opposition leader, dedicated the prize to Trump.

Other lawmakers began mocking the “America First” award given by Johnson. US representative Kathy Castor from Florida called the award “out of touch”, pointing to the partial government shutdown that has left Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents at airports without pay. US representative Seth Magaziner from Rhode Island called it “so embarrassing for everyone involved”. And California representative Nanette D Barragán criticized Johnson, calling on him to do his job and “stop kissing a$$”.

The award was presented to Trump amid a heightened war on Iran, as the US and Israel continue with aggressive military strikes. Similarly, the US government’s tightening oil blockade on Cuba has led to shortages of food, fuel and medicine, as the two countries reportedly negotiate.

On the domestic front, the partial government shutdown – due to differences between Democrats and Republicans on the aggressive immigration enforcement tactics in the US – has led to TSA employees to miss out on pay. Airports are seeing extremely long lines and wait times, with immigration enforcement officials instructed to work at the airports.