President Donald Trump gave talk radio host Rush Limbaugh the Presidential Medal of Freedom during the State of the Union Address Tuesday.
Established by President John Kennedy, the medal is the nation's highest civilian honor
Limbaugh was a guest of the President and First Lady at the speech, and was clearly surprised and pleased by the honor.
"Rush Limbaugh is a legendary radio host with millions of loving fans," the White House said of the award. "His radio show has been on the air for more than three decades and has had an incalculable effect on American politics and government. Limbaugh is a champion of the Constitution, advocate of civic engagement, and a committed patriot."
Limbaugh announced this week that he is suffering from late-stage lung cancer.
Past winners of the award include Martin Luther King, Jr., Steven Spielberg, Muhammad Ali, Mother Teresa, Rosa Parks, Fred Rogers, and Billy Graham.
