President Trump awards Rush Limbaugh with Medal of Freedom during State of the Union

WASHINGTON — During his State of the Union address Tuesday night, President Donald Trump awarded syndicated conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

State of the Union President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020, as Vice President Mike Pence and Speaker Nancy Pelosi look on. (Leah Millis/Pool via AP)

State of the Union House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., tears her copy of President Donald Trump's s State of the Union address after he delivered it to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020. Vice President Mike Pence is at left. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

State of the Union House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., tears her copy of President Donald Trump's State of the Union address after he delivered it to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

State of the Union President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020, as Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., listen. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

State of the Union President Donald Trump greets Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts as he arrives to deliver his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020. (Leah Millis/Pool via AP)

State of the Union President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

State of the Union Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido waves as President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

State of the Union House Impeachment Manager Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., left, types on a device, as House Impeachment Manager and Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., right, reads a pocket copy of the U.S. Constitution as they wait for President Donald Trump to arrive and deliver his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020. (Leah Millis/Pool via AP)

State of the Union President Donald Trump turns after handing copies of his speech to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., and Vice President Mike Pence as he delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

State of the Union Tuskegee airman Charles McGee, 100, and his great grandson Iain Lanphier react as President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

State of the Union President Donald Trump hands copies of his speech to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., and Vice President Mike Pence as he delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

State of the Union Amy Williams kisses her husband Sgt. 1st Class Townsend Williams after he surprised her by appearing at the State of the Union address by President Donald Trump in a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020. Kathryn and Rush Limbaugh and first Lady Melania Trump watch. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

State of the Union First Lady Melania Trump presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Rush Limbaugh as his wife Kathryn watches during the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

State of the Union President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

State of the Union President Donald Trump greets people after delivering his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

State of the Union Rush Limbaugh reacts after first Lady Melania Trump presented him with the the Presidential Medal of Freedom as President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020. Second lady Karen Pence is at left and Kathryn Limbaugh is partially hidden. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

“Rush Limbaugh: Thank you for your decades of tireless devotion to our country. Rush, in recognition of all that you have done for our nation, the millions of people a day that you speak to and inspire, and all of the incredible work that you have done for charity, I am proud to announce tonight that you will be receiving our country’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom,” President Trump said during the speech.

Earlier this week, Limbaugh announced he was fighting lung cancer.

The conservative radio host and political commentator said he realized something was wrong during his birthday weekend last month. He was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer Jan. 20 after he noticed he had shortness of breath.

He started his national radio show in 1988 from New York and later relocated to Palm Beach, Florida.

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