Tesla CEO Elon Musk publicly criticised US President Joe Biden's decision to honour billionaire philanthropist George Soros with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

"A travesty that Biden is giving Soros the Medal of Freedom," Musk worte on X.

On Saturday, President Joe Biden announced the names of the recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom over their contributions to politics, philanthropy, sports, and the arts.

Soros, a billionaire investor and founder of the Open Society Foundations, was named for his "focus on global initiatives that strengthen democracy, human rights, education, and social justice," according to the official White House statement.

Some of the other notable awardees this year include former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, football legend Lionel Messi, and actors Michael J Fox and Denzel Washington.