Getty US President Donald Trump alongside radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh arrive at a Make America Great Again rally in Cape Girardeau, Missouri on November 5, 2018.
Former President Donald Trump said he and radio personality Rush Limbaugh became friends after Trump delivered a “controversial” speech, which Limbaugh “loved.” Trump reacted to “The Rush Limbaugh Show” host’s death and spoke about their relationship.
Limbaugh died Wednesday, February 17, 2021, following a battle with lung cancer. He hosted his radio show for more than three decades. Today, his wife, Kathryn Adams Limbaugh, got behind the microphone during his scheduled radio broadcast to announce to Limbaugh’s fans that he had died.
Trump awarded Limbaugh the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the State of the Union address just days after Limbaugh announced he had lung cancer in January 2020.
Here’s what you need to know:
Trump Described the Ceremony When Limbaugh Was Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom & His Relationship With Limbaugh
Trump discussed his relationship with Limbaugh on Fox News with Harris Faulkner and Bill Hemmer today. Faulkner asked Trump what Limbaugh knew about the award in advance of the ceremony, noting that he succumbs to tears after the recognition is announced.
“So, I did tell him beforehand because we didn’t have really the power of not doing it. You know, Rush was very sick at the time. He was at a hospital in Boston, and I didn’t want to do the surprise thing. I wish I could have done that but we didn’t really have that power of doing it because… it was a very difficult thing for him to come into Washington from where he was, and he did it,” Trump said.
He went onto say there were some questions as to whether Limbaugh should travel at that time, but Limbaugh did so anyway. Trump said Limbaugh called the award “the greatest honor of his life.”
“He was just a very brave guy. Amazing,” Trump said.
Trump said the audience at the State of the Union was polarized between democrats and republicans, but they all respected Limbaugh.
“Half that room went absolutely crazy,” Trump said, and “the other half sat totally dead silent, but 100 percent of that room respected Rush.”
Trump said Limbaugh’s goal was to remain on the air through the end of the 2020 Presidential Election, which he accomplished.
“His ambition was to hold out until after the election,” Trump said. “And he worked so hard and he missed very few shows … he worked so hard to get through the election, and he was just great. He made it.”
Trump Said Limbaugh ‘Had an Insight Few People Have’ & Said He ‘Loved This Country So Much’
Donald Trump mourns the loss of his friend Rush Limbaugh
Trump told Fox News he and Limbaugh met after he delivered a “controversial” speech, and that Limbaugh “loved” it. While Trump was campaigning for the 2016 Presidential Election, he learned Limbaugh was a supporter of his campaign.
“Right from the beginning, he was so great,” Trump said.
Trump said he called Limbaugh to thank him for his support and said they got to know each other, became friends and played golf together.
Trump appeared on “The Rush Limbaugh Show” for an interview, and said Limbaugh had “tremendous insight.”
“There aren’t too many legends around, but he is a legend,” Trump told Harris Faulkner and Bill Hemmer.
“He had tremendous insight,” Trump said later. “He got it, he really got it.”
“He loved this country. He loved the country. He loved his wife and his family, and he loved his fans, his audience,” Trump said.
He added Limbaugh was “irreplaceable.”
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