President Donald Trump on Tuesday honored conservative icon Rush Limbaugh on the fifth anniversary of his death, calling him "a really great man" and saying "there will never be another Rush Limbaugh."
In a video posted to Truth Social, Trump reflected on Limbaugh's impact on the conservative movement and on his own political rise.
"This is the fifth anniversary of the loss of a really great man, a great conservative, somebody that loved our country … but he was a friend of mine — Rush Limbaugh," Trump said.
Trump recalled that he had never met Limbaugh when he launched his 2016 presidential campaign, but was quickly told the influential broadcaster had offered his support.
"I had never met Rush when I announced I was running — I'll never forget, 2015," Trump said.
"And I got a call all excited that Rush just endorsed you. I'd never met him. And he liked my opening speech."
Trump said he later developed a personal friendship with Limbaugh and came to appreciate him beyond his public persona.
"Then I got to know him and I realized what a great guy he was," he said.
"It's five years and we miss Rush. There will never be another Rush Limbaugh."
"To his great wife and family, I just wanna say, we miss you all. We miss him and there'll never be anybody like him," Trump said.
Limbaugh, who died Feb. 17, 2021, at age 70 after a battle with lung cancer, was one of the most influential figures in modern conservative politics.
His nationally syndicated radio program, "The Rush Limbaugh Show," dominated talk radio for decades, drawing millions of listeners and helping shape Republican grassroots activism.
During Trump's presidency, Limbaugh was a vocal supporter and defender of the administration's policies.
In 2020, Trump awarded Limbaugh the Presidential Medal of Freedom during the State of the Union address, praising him as a "special man" and a "legend."
Limbaugh's endorsement in the early days of the 2016 campaign was seen as a significant boost among conservative voters and talk radio audiences nationwide.
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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