Rush Limbaugh -- one of the most listened to radio personalities for more than 30 years -- has died of lung cancer ... TMZ has learned.
The conservative firebrand host and political commentator died Wednesday. Rush first announced he was battling advanced lung cancer about a year ago, but it took a turn for the worse recently ... resulting in him missing some shows and his producers asking for prayers.
Limbaugh, who started his radio career in the 1970s, is best known for hosting "The Rush Limbaugh Show" ... which has been in national syndication since 1988 and made him one of the premier voices of the conservative movement for 3 decades.
President Donald Trump awarded Rush the Presidential Medal of Freedom -- the nation's highest civilian honor -- for his achievements in radio. Trump presented the award in an unprecedented move during the 2020 State of the Union address just days after Limbaugh revealed his cancer diagnosis.
Of course, Limbaugh's success in radio did not come without a lot of controversies, as his views on race, LGBTQ+ issues, feminism, sexual consent and climate change -- just to name a few -- have been widely criticized ... making him one of the most polarizing figures in America.
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