Former President Donald Trump described his friendship with Rush Limbaugh in one of his first interviews since leaving office.
Trump pointed out that he didn’t know Limbaugh personally until he ran for president but that the two soon formed a close relationship. The former president added that the iconic radio talk show host “was with us all the way” in terms of political support.
“There was nobody like him. He was the best at what he did,” Trump said during an interview with One America News Network. “He understood early what was happening with the whole MAGA movement, if you want to call it that, and it turned out he was a great friend and a great ally.”
“He was a supporter, right at the beginning, literally from the time I came down on the escalator with Melania, and Rush liked what I had to say … and just about from that point, he was on our side, and that was without knowing him,” he said.
Trump said he got to know Limbaugh during his 2016 campaign, ever since Limbaugh heard Trump’s speech and “liked what he heard.” The former president noted Limbaugh’s steadfast support during his unsuccessful reelection campaign as well.
Trump said that he and Limbaugh enjoyed golfing together and that he used to refer to the host as “the bull,” given his powerful swing. When asked about if he used Limbaugh’s audience to get a pulse on what policies to support, Trump said “you sort of knew” by listening.
“He did something very few people could do, he would just talk,” Trump said, “and that’s not easy to do … You knew where he stood pretty much just by listening to his show.”
“He was a tough man,” Trump said.
Limbaugh died on Wednesday morning at his home in Palm Beach, Florida, after a battle with lung cancer.
