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Rick Scott says Trump given freedom award for 'right reasons', mocked for 'sucking up to mango mongoose'

Florida Senator Rick Scott was mocked on social media after he explained why he gave former president, Donald J Trump, the National Republican Senatorial Committee's (NRSC) 'Champion of Freedom' award

Florida Senator Rick Scott was mocked on social media on Sunday, April 25, after he explained why he gave former president, Donald J Trump, the National Republican Senatorial Committee's (NRSC) 'Champion of Freedom' award.

Trump was given the inaugural award during a GOP donor retreat at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach earlier this month. The NRSC said in a statement that the "award is presented to conservative leaders who have worked tirelessly to create good jobs, protect the values that make our country great, and stop the Democrats' socialist agenda."

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George Stephanopoulos, the host of ABC News' This Week, pressed Scott about the award in an interview on April 25.

"You recently gave Trump a 'Champion of Freedom' award, despite the fact he continues to spread lies about the election and insurrection. Doesn't that endorse that kind of behavior?" Stephanopoulos said.

"I gave him the award for the right reasons," Scott responded. "He worked on border security, he worked on holding Xi [Jinping] in China accountable, the Castro regime accountable, [Nicolás] Maduro accountable, helping Israel, got the Abraham accords done, he worked hard. Every president I know would like to get more things accomplished, but he did some things that prior presidents have not gotten done."

"You gave the award after he spread the lies about the election," Stephanopoulos insisted.

"Rick Scott" began trending on Twitter shortly after the interview, with critics slamming ABC for giving the Florida senator a platform.

"1) Rick Scott gave an award to the terrorist insurrectionist Trump. 2) He has used language coddling white nationalist extremists in response to the Chauvin verdict. 3) He should never be welcome on your air," tweeted Joseph Robertson, executive director of Citizens' Climate International.

"Rick Scott voted to toss election results hours after the deadly Capitol siege, but sure, give him a platform to feign interest in bipartisanship," wrote Jesse Lehrich, a former foreign policy spokesperson for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.

"Rick Scott voted to overturn the election after the Jan. 6 insurrection he incited. He lied and said Trump won," screenwriter Matt Negrin alleged. "Today @ThisWeekABC invited Rick Scott on and deliberately ignored his role in spreading the Big Lie, not mentioning it once @ABC is helping Republicans erase history," he added.

"Trump worked hard to overthrow the government while golfing. Rick Scott gave Trump a 'Participation Trophy' for trying. Scott is one of the 8 Republican Senators who voted against the certification of Joe Biden's election victory after the pro-Trump Capitol Riot on 6 January,"Rick Scott is a Trump lackey. I could also ask what has Rick Scott worked hard at besides sucking up to the Mango Mongoose?" another added." one Twitter user wrote.

A spokesperson for Scott dismissed the criticism in a statement to Newsweek, saying "there is literally nothing less important to us than the fake outrage of liberal activists on Twitter.