Egypt Honors Trump with the Order of the Nile

On Monday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi presented President Donald Trump with the Order of the Nile, the highest award given by modern Egypt.

According to Sissi’s office, this honor acknowledges Trump’s “significant contributions to peace promotion, conflict resolution, and, most recently, his pivotal role in ending the war in Gaza.”

In response, Trump expressed, “I am deeply honored to receive from you the Order of the Nile, the highest honor of the Egyptian nation. The Nile River is very beautiful and very majestic,” during a peace summit in Sharm el-Sheikh.

The Order of the Nile features a striking collar made of solid gold, adorned with pharaonic symbols. Each of its three square units represents different concepts: protection from evil, the prosperity brought by the Nile, and wealth and perseverance. These units are linked with circular gold flowers embellished with turquoise and rubies.

Hanging from the collar is a hexagonal pendant, which showcases pharaonic flowers along with turquoise and ruby gemstones. At its center, a symbol representing the Nile connects the north, depicted by papyrus, and the south, symbolized by a lotus flower.

Often referred to as the “Knights of the Nile,” this award was first established in Egypt in 1915 under Sultan Hussein Kamel, the first Sultan in nearly 400 years. At that time, Egypt was a British protectorate and had undergone centuries of Ottoman rule and a brief French occupation.

Kamel led a short but eventful reign, enduring two assassination attempts before his mysterious death three years into his leadership. He initiated several awards to commend remarkable contributions to Egypt. Eventually, Egypt transitioned to an independent monarchy in 1922 and later established a republic in 1953.

The Order of the Nile was initially meant to recognize the contributions of British subjects and Egyptians, but its charter was revised in 1953 to allow recipients from any country. While most awards go to heads of state, it has also honored bureaucrats, civilians, entertainers, and athletes.

Notable past recipients include King Hussein of Jordan, Emperor Akihito of Japan, King Saud bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia, President Nelson Mandela of South Africa, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter.

In 1979, after the Camp David agreement, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat awarded Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin with the Order of the Nile for his diplomatic efforts, though Begin never accepted it. Up to now, the award has not been presented to any Israeli citizen.

Additionally, on Monday, Israeli President Isaac Herzog announced that they would honor President Trump with the Presidential Medal of Honor, their highest civilian award.