WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Monday awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, one of the outgoing president’s fiercest GOP allies.

The nation’s highest civilian honor was presented to Jordan in a private ceremony at the White House It comes as Trump has been rewarding supporters with awards and the perks and prestige associated with serving on a host of federal advisory boards and commissions.

Jordan, the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, was one of eight House lawmakers who were part of Trump’s defense team in his Senate impeachment trial last year. He’s been one of the more outspoken defenders of the president as Trump faces the prospect of being impeached for a second time in his final days of office because of his role in inciting a mob assault on the Capitol last week.

The White House in a statement noted Jordan “led the effort to confront the impeachment witch hunt” last year.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom, established by President John F. Kennedy, is meant to recognize those who have made an “especially meritorious contribution” to national security, world peace or ”cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.”

Last week, Trump awarded the Medal of Freedom to another Republican ally, Rep. Devin Nunes of California, in a private ceremony.

Trump has not appeared in public since delivering a grievance-filled speech five days ago at a rally near the White House shortly before a pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol as Congress began formally counting the Electoral College votes to certify his defeat to Democrat Joe Biden.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on why it was holding the ceremony without the media present.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has threatened a Republican boycott of a Democratic-led investigation into the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol after Speaker Nancy Pelosi declined to appoint two allies of former President Donald Trump to the committee.

On Wednesday, Pelosi said she would not allow Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Rep. Jim Banks, R-Indiana, to join the select committee. McCarthy had proposed that Jordan, Banks, and Republican Reps. Rodney Davis, Kelly Armstrong and Troy Nehls join the Democrat-majority committee.

However, Pelosi on Wednesday said that she would not seat Banks or Jordan.

"With respect for the integrity of the investigation, with an insistence on the truth and with concern about statements made and actions taken by these Members, I must reject the recommendations of Representatives Banks and Jordan to the Select Committee," Pelosi's statement read. "The unprecedented nature of January 6th demands this unprecedented decision."

Both Jordan and Banks voted against certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election in the hours after the riots.

Pelosi added that she would appoint Davis, Armstrong and Nehls to the committee, per McCarthy's request. She also asked that McCarthy propose two other Republican members to replace Banks and Jordan.

However, in a statement Wednesday, McCarthy said that if Pelosi refuses to seat Jordan and Banks, Republicans will not participate in the hearings.

"Speaker Nancy Pelosi has taken the unprecedented step of denying the minority party's picks for the Select Committee on January 6. This represents an egregious abuse of power and will irreparably damage this institution," McCarthy wrote in a statement. "Unless Speaker Pelosi reverses course and seats all five Republican nominees, Republicans will not be party to their sham process and will instead pursue our own investigation of the facts."

All five members who McCarthy put forward for the commission voted against impeaching former President Donald Trump for his role in the riot.

House Democrats voted to move forward with an investigation into the Jan. 6 riot in June, weeks after Republicans in the Senate blocked an effort to launch a bipartisan congressional investigation into the deadly riots.