The White House, in an announcement that Trump would award the medal during the State of the Union, referred to Limbaugh as “a legendary radio host with millions of loving fans.”
The White House says the medal is bestowed to “individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of America, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.” The elite group includes Rosa Parks, a civil rights pioneer, Elie Wiesel, a Nobel laureate and Holocaust survivor, and Mother Teresa, a literal saint.
Limbaugh, who announced earlier this week that he has advanced lung cancer, now joins the ranks of a long list of entertainers, athletes, academics, activists and heads of state to receive the medal. But Trump did not, of course, make note of his past record of controversial, conspiracy-driven and racist comments on the air. President Donald Trump described conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh as the “greatest fighter,” a “winner” and a charitable person when honoring him with the Medal of Freedom at the State of the Union Tuesday night.
