President Donald Trump mused Friday that the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, a father of nine, had been "very busy." He saidthe White House employee responsible for cutting off an Elvis Presley song partway through had "no promotional ability."

He told baseball owner George Steinbrenner's grandson that Steinbrenner was "a real piece of work," and exhausting to be with,although worth the effort. He reeled off baseball facts that weren't in his prepared script, and told a golf story.

Along the way, Trump awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to seven Americans, including Scalia, sports figures Babe Ruth, Roger Staubach andAlan Page, singer Elvis Presley, retiring Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Republican megadonor and philanthropist Miriam Adelson.

The award, created by President John F. Kennedy, is the nation's highest civilian honor. Scalia's widow accepted on his behalf, as the manTrump chose to replace him, Justice Neil Gorsuch, looked on. Six of the court's nine justices attended, including the newest, Justice BrettKavanaugh.

Trump, seeming jovial and relaxed, said he was pleased to be the president to finally honor Ruth.

"I mean, let's face it. Babe Ruth is Babe Ruth, right?"

He then went on an extended riff about Ruth's early career as a pitcher that departed from the printed script visible on screens at the backof the room. He added a riff about his friend Steinbrenner, who bought the Yankees 25 years after Ruth's death.

When he got to Elvis, a recording of the gospel and rock singer singing "How Great Thou Art" played for a few moments, then faded out.Trump looked annoyed.

"That was my idea. I said, 'Give me a little - a little song.' That was, I guess, a little promotional ability."

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Trump jokes and jabs as he bestows Presidential Medal of Freedom(https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-jokes-and-jabs-as-he-bestows-presidential-medal-of-freedom/2018/11/16/461cc106-e9de-11e8-bbdb-72fdbf9d4fed_story.html?utm_term=.429d9a9a65e3)

Alan Page, former professional American football player, is presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Trump

To read the complete article, see:
Trump jokes, jabs as hebestows Presidential Medal of Freedom to seven Americans(https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-presidential-medal-of-freedom-20181116-story.html)