Trump awards Medal of Freedom to ally Jim Jordan at closed-door ceremony

US President Donald Trump on Monday awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Republican representative from Ohio Jim Jordan -- who is also regarded as one of the president's 'staunchest loyalists' in Congress -- citing his defences of the outgoing President against impeachment earlier last year and the Russia investigation.

According to The Hill, Trump awarded the medal to Jordan at a closed-door ceremony at the White House on the same day House Democrats officially moved forward with plans to impeach Trump for a second time.

It was further reported that Jordan was among the Republican lawmakers who still objected to the Electoral College certification affirming Joe Biden as the next president, even after the riot that broke out at Capitol Hill last week.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is usually awarded to figures who have made significant contributions to their field or defended the interests of the United States. But Trump has awarded the medal to political allies, particularly in his final weeks in office.

The White House in a statement said that in 2016, Jordan worked with then-Representative Mike Pompeo to investigate and publish a report on the deadly attack against our embassy in Benghazi, Libya.

"Moreover, he also worked to unmask the Russia hoax and take on Deep State corruption -- confronting senior Justice Department officials for obstructing Congress and exposing the fraudulent origins of the Russia collusion lie," it read.

"His work helped to unearth malfeasance at the highest levels of the United States Government. At the beginning of last year, Jordan was named ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee and led the effort to confront the impeachment witch hunt," the statement read further.

On January 6, a group of Trump's loyalists stormed the US Capitol building, clashing with police, damaging property, seizing the inauguration stage and occupying the rotunda. The unrest took place after Trump urged his supporters to protest what he claims is a stolen election.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.