Republican Utah Sen. Mitt Romney has been officially announced as the 2021 recipient of the JFK Profile In Courage Award.
The John F. Kennedy Library Foundation made the announcement Friday, and cited Romney’s vote to convict former President Donald Trump in his first Senate impeachment trial as the reason for his selection.
“During a time of grave threat to U.S. democratic institutions, Mitt Romney has been a consistent but often solitary Republican voice in defense of democracy and the rule of law,” the foundation said in a statement. “In February 2020, after weighing evidence that then-President Donald Trump withheld Congressionally authorized military aid for political gain, Romney voted to convict Trump for abuse of power. As the first Senator to have ever voted to convict a President of his own party, Romney’s courageous stand was historic.”
I’m humbled by the Kennedy family’s recognition today. But I see courage every week from my colleagues in the Senate, many of whom make tough decisions to do what they believe is right even though it may be politically unpopular.
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) March 26, 2021
“I’m humbled by the Kennedy family’s recognition today. But I see courage every week from my colleagues in the Senate, many of whom make tough decisions to do what they believe is right even though it may be politically unpopular,” Romney said in a statement on Twitter.
Trump was impeached in December 2019 on the charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. His impeachment trial was held in the Senate, and he was ultimately acquitted in February 2020. Romney was the only Republican to vote for convicting Trump, voting yes on the charge of abuse of power.
Romney voted to convict Trump for a second time in his 2021 Senate impeachment trial on the charge of incitement of insurrection. That time he was joined by 6 other Republicans, but the trial still resulted in Trump’s acquittal. (RELATED: Mitt Romney Says Trump Will Win GOP Nomination If He Runs In 2024)
Romney is the first Republican to receive the award since former South Carolina Rep. Bob Inglis in 2015.
The award was created by members of former President John F. Kennedy’s family to honor the former president and “to recognize and celebrate the quality of political courage that he admired most,” according to the JFK Presidential Library and Museum. Other recipients of the award include multiple former presidents and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.