The Federal President greeted President Biden with military honours at Schloss Bellevue. This was followed by talks between the two heads of state.
Thereafter, the Federal President bestowed Germany’s highest honour, the Grand Cross special class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, on President Biden. Your decency is a light that shines very far. It certainly reached the hearts of my fellow Germans
, he said, paying tribute to Joe Biden and his services to German-American friendship.
For Germany, the friendship with the United States has been, is now, and will always be existentially important – existential both for our security and our democracy.
President Biden thanked the Federal President for the honour: I am overwhelmed. Not just by the award, but by your words.
President Biden is the second US President to receive this honour. In 1993, George H. W. Bush received this Order of Merit for his services to the cause of German unity.
Finally, the Federal President hosted a reception in honour of President Biden.
