Editing Rush Limbaugh (section)

===Relationship with Donald Trump===
[[File:President Trump at the Trump International Golf Club (47625293592).jpg|thumb|upright|right|Limbaugh with President [[Donald Trump]] at the [[Trump International Golf Club (West Palm Beach)|Trump International Golf Club]] in 2019]]
Limbaugh was consistently supportive of the [[Donald Trump 2016 presidential campaign|candidacy]] and [[first presidency of Donald Trump]], although he endorsed [[Ted Cruz]] during the [[2016 Republican Party presidential primaries]] and took issue with Trump's treatment of Cruz.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Haberman |first=Maggie|url=https://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/12/14/rush-limbaugh-stands-in-ted-cruzs-corner-after-attacks-by-donald-trump/|title=Rush Limbaugh Stands in Ted Cruz's Corner After Attacks by Donald Trump|date=December 14, 2015|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=February 1, 2019|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906041928/https://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/12/14/rush-limbaugh-stands-in-ted-cruzs-corner-after-attacks-by-donald-trump/|archive-date=September 6, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Limbaugh later criticized Cruz's hesitance to endorse Trump after his nomination at the [[2016 Republican National Convention]], comparing it to [[Ted Kennedy]]'s lukewarm support of [[Jimmy Carter]] at the [[1980 Democratic National Convention]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2016/07/21/cruz_couldn_t_pull_off_a_reagan_in_76/|title=Cruz Couldn't Pull Off a Reagan in '76|website=The Rush Limbaugh Show|access-date=April 28, 2019 |url-status=live|archive-date=April 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428165132/https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2016/07/21/cruz_couldn_t_pull_off_a_reagan_in_76/}}</ref> After the election he became supportive of [[Deep state in the United States|deep-state conspiracy theories]], claiming that the United States had entered a "Cold Civil War" in which the Democratic Party was attempting to illegitimately overturn the election results and that it was part of a trend of Democrats contesting elections beginning with the [[2000 United States presidential election recount in Florida|2000 Florida election recount]] intended to eventually eliminate free elections in the United States.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web|url=https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2019/09/27/were-in-the-midst-of-a-cold-civil-war/|title=There Is No Whistleblower, Just a Leaker! We're in the Midst of a Cold Civil War|website=The Rush Limbaugh Show|access-date=September 28, 2019|archive-date=September 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190928203713/https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2019/09/27/were-in-the-midst-of-a-cold-civil-war/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|author=Ian Schwartz |url=https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2018/08/10/limbaugh_evidence_of_the_lefts_march_toward_ending_elections.html|title=Limbaugh: Evidence Of The Left's March Toward Ending Elections|date=August 10, 2018 |website=Real Clear Politics|access-date=April 28, 2019|archive-date=August 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180811115008/https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2018/08/10/limbaugh_evidence_of_the_lefts_march_toward_ending_elections.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2018/08/09/evidence-of-the-lefts-march-toward-ending-elections/ |title=Evidence of the Left's March Toward Ending Elections|website=The Rush Limbaugh Show|access-date=September 28, 2019 |archive-date=May 14, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190514041404/https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2018/08/09/evidence-of-the-lefts-march-toward-ending-elections/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In December 2018, Limbaugh criticized Trump for preparing to accept a [[continuing resolution]] that would fund the government through February 8, 2019, but included no funding for a [[Mexico–United States border wall|border wall]] on the [[Mexico–United States border]], a campaign promise repeatedly emphasized by Trump.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://politi.co/2EAHn1I|title=Rush Limbaugh roars back|last=Schwartz|first=Jason |website=[[Politico]]|date=December 21, 2018 |access-date=February 1, 2019|url-status=live|archive-date=July 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728110733/https://www.politico.com/story/2018/12/21/rush-limbaugh-trump-comeback-1073726}}</ref> Trump would subsequently make a surprise telephone call to Limbaugh announcing his intent to veto the bill, a decision that would lead to the [[2018–19 United States federal government shutdown]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/media/422365-limbaugh-trump-gave-word-hell-veto-any-bill-without-border-wall-money|title=Limbaugh: Trump gave word he'll veto any bill without border wall money|last=Byrnes|first=Jesse|date=December 20, 2018|website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|access-date=February 1, 2019|url-status=live|archive-date=February 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190202042245/https://thehill.com/homenews/media/422365-limbaugh-trump-gave-word-hell-veto-any-bill-without-border-wall-money}}</ref> Limbaugh would go on to support the shutdown, stating, "We have a president keeping promises left and right. And isn't it interesting to see how trivial Washington thinks that is?"<ref>{{Cite news|title=On Conservative Media, Qualified Support for Trump on Shutdown|last1=Astor|first1=Maggie|last2=Grynbaum|first2=Michael M.|date=January 11, 2019|work=[[The New York Times]]|issn=0362-4331 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/11/us/politics/government-shutdown-media-coverage.html|access-date=February 1, 2019|url-status=live|archive-date=January 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190113144859/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/11/us/politics/government-shutdown-media-coverage.html}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Donald Trump Will Keep His Promise to Secure Our Country|url=https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2019/01/09/donald-trump-will-keep-his-promise-to-secure-our-country/|website=The Rush Limbaugh Show|access-date=February 1, 2019|archive-date=January 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190119143741/https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2019/01/09/donald-trump-will-keep-his-promise-to-secure-our-country/|url-status=live}}</ref> After Trump declared the [[National Emergency Concerning the Southern Border of the United States]] and the [[116th United States Congress|116th Congress]] failed in its attempt to override it, Limbaugh called on him to completely close the border with Mexico.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2019/03/28/close-the-southern-border-and-pardon-everyone/|title=Close the Southern Border and Pardon Everybody|website=The Rush Limbaugh Show|access-date=May 1, 2019|url-status=live|archive-date=May 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190503050744/https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2019/03/28/close-the-southern-border-and-pardon-everyone/}}</ref>

Limbaugh was dismissive of controversies over myriad<ref name="Savage_Goldman_5/17/2023">{{cite news |last1=Savage |first1=Charlie | last2=Goldman | first2=Adam |title=After Years of Political Hype, the Durham Inquiry Failed to Deliver - A dysfunctional investigation led by a Trump-era special counsel illustrates a dilemma about prosecutorial independence and accountability in politically sensitive matters.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/17/us/politics/durham-report-trump-russia.html |date=May 17, 2023 |work=[[The New York Times]] |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20230517075657/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/17/us/politics/durham-report-trump-russia.html |archivedate=May 17, 2023 |accessdate=May 17, 2023 }}</ref> suspicious [[links between Trump associates and Russian officials and spies]]. He claimed that the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] investigations of [[Michael Flynn]] and [[Paul Manafort]], as well as the subsequent [[Mueller special counsel investigation|Special Counsel investigation]] directed by [[Robert Mueller]], were orchestrated by Barack Obama and the Democratic Party to undermine the legitimacy of Trump's presidency, constituting an illegal [[coup d'état]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2017/03/02/barack-obama-and-his-deep-state-operatives-are-attempting-to-sabotage-the-duly-elected-president-of-the-united-states/|title=Barack Obama and His Deep State Operatives Are Attempting to Sabotage the Duly Elected President of the United States|website=The Rush Limbaugh Show|access-date=February 1, 2019|url-status=live|archive-date=November 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181114221455/https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2017/03/02/barack-obama-and-his-deep-state-operatives-are-attempting-to-sabotage-the-duly-elected-president-of-the-united-states/}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |url=https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2019/04/18/mueller-report-no-collusion-or-obstruction-period/ |title=Mueller Report: No Collusion or Obstruction. Period.|website=The Rush Limbaugh Show |access-date=May 23, 2019|url-status=live|archive-date=May 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190523181138/https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2019/04/18/mueller-report-no-collusion-or-obstruction-period/}}</ref> Limbaugh claimed that [[George Papadopoulos]] was [[Entrapment|entrapped]] by the FBI, which he claimed [[Joseph Mifsud]] was an [[informant]] for, through [[Stefan Halper]] as part of an "insurance policy" against Trump's election by the [[Five Eyes]] intelligence alliance.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2019/03/29/the-dossier-papadopoulos-and-the-insurance-policy/|title=The Dossier, Papadopoulos and the Insurance Policy|website=The Rush Limbaugh Show|access-date=May 1, 2019|archive-date=May 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190504180037/https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2019/03/29/the-dossier-papadopoulos-and-the-insurance-policy/|url-status=live}}</ref> Limbaugh advocated a full [[Federal pardons in the United States|presidential pardon]] for all suspects indicted or convicted by the investigation.<ref name=":1" /> After the release of the [[Mueller report]], he disputed its conclusion that [[WikiLeaks]] obtained the Democratic National Committee's emails from the Russian government and its depiction of [[Donald Trump Jr.]]'s [[Trump Tower meeting]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2019/05/01/trump-didnt-obstruct-justice-hes-tried-to-protect-the-truth/|title=Trump Didn't Obstruct Justice, He Tried to Protect the Truth|website=The Rush Limbaugh Show|access-date=May 23, 2019|archive-date=May 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190523182657/https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2019/05/01/trump-didnt-obstruct-justice-hes-tried-to-protect-the-truth/|url-status=live}}</ref> He claimed that allegations of [[obstruction of justice]] were leveled at Trump due to the Report's conclusion that Trump did not directly [[Collusion|collude]] with Russian officials, and that Trump's intent to fire Mueller and [[United States Attorney General|Attorney General]] [[Jeff Sessions]] was legitimate.<ref name=":6" />

Limbaugh supported the [[Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity]] as well as Trump's claims that he lost the popular vote due to [[Voter impersonation (United States)|voter impersonation]] by [[Illegal immigration to the United States|illegal immigrants]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2017/01/25/why-do-democrats-fear-a-voter-fraud-investigation/|title=Why Do Democrats Fear a Voter-Fraud Investigation?|website=The Rush Limbaugh Show|access-date=April 28, 2019|archive-date=April 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428232256/https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2017/01/25/why-do-democrats-fear-a-voter-fraud-investigation/|url-status=live}}</ref>

After the House of Representatives commenced a [[Impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump|formal impeachment inquiry against President Trump]] due to the [[Trump–Ukraine scandal|scandal over a 2019 telephone call]] to Ukrainian president [[Volodymyr Zelenskyy]], pressuring the Ukrainian government to prosecute [[2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries|2020 Democratic primary candidate]] [[Joe Biden]] shortly after a freeze of [[military aid]], Limbaugh argued that the two events were unrelated since Trump had made a decision to withhold military funds a month in advance. He additionally claimed that Trump's desire for the Ukrainian government to prosecute Biden was legally justified by a 1999 [[mutual legal assistance treaty]] with [[Ukraine]] and "was following the law to the letter when it comes to unearthing the long-standing [[Corruption in Ukraine|corruption]] that has swirled in Ukraine and allegedly involves powerful Democrats like Joe Biden."<ref name=":7"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2019/09/27/why-trump-could-not-have-engaged-in-a-quid-pro-quo-with-ukraine/|title=Why Trump Could Not Have Engaged in a Quid Pro Quo with Ukraine|website=The Rush Limbaugh Show|access-date=September 28, 2019|archive-date=September 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190928230749/https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2019/09/27/why-trump-could-not-have-engaged-in-a-quid-pro-quo-with-ukraine/|url-status=live}}</ref>