Trump called Musk the “Edison of modernity” and presented him with the US National Science Medal

US President Donald Trump presented the highest state awards for scientific developments to the heads of a number of major American high-tech companies, including Elon Musk, whom he called “Thomas Edison of modernity”.

According to TASS, the ceremony took place at the Washington government Institute of Peace.

The National Science Medal of the United States was awarded to the head of Tesla and SpaceX Elon Musk, one of the founders of Google Sergey Brin, as well as the heads of Nvidia and AMD Jensen Huang and Lisa Su. Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella received the U.S. National Medal of Technology and Innovation.

“Elon is our modern Thomas Edison. Elon, I want to congratulate you. You're my friend. But you are still a very special guy, said the American leader, presenting the award. The president called Brin “a visionary who forever changed the way the world finds information.” One of the founders of Google, according to Donald Trump, gave all people access to “all the knowledge of mankind.” He was warmly welcomed by the head of the US administration and other laureates.

In addition, the president mentioned his paternal uncle John Trump (1907-1985), an innovative physicist and professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was also awarded the National Medal of Science in 1983. His award was presented to the President of the United States.