President Trump reportedly said Tuesday that he plans to award conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh the Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
Trump confirmed his intention during a private lunch with network television anchors on Tuesday, CNN and Politico reported, citing people familiar with the conversation.
The reported remarks came a day after the 69-year-old host disclosed that he has advanced lung cancer. Limbaugh said he would seek treatment in the coming days.
Trump said during the lunch on Tuesday that he would bestow the medal in the months ahead, CNN reported.
The president has also reportedly extended an invitation for Limbaugh to attend the State of the Union on Tuesday night, according to multiple reports.
The traditional pre-State of the Union address lunch with anchors is considered off the record, though CNN, which was not included in this year’s event, noted it was not subject to the off-the-record agreement.
Asked for comment, White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said, “I actually have ethics so I’m not going to comment on an off-the-record lunch.”
Limbaugh, a vocal ally and confidant of the president, made the announcement about his cancer diagnosis on Monday, saying he was undergoing treatment that would keep him off the air some days.
“I wish I didn’t have to tell you this, and I thought about not trying to tell anybody. I thought about trying to do this without anybody knowing, because I don’t like making things about me,” Limbaugh said.
– Morgan Chalfant contributed reporting