Trump repeats election conspiracies in Fox News interview over Rush Limbaugh death

The legendary radio host died from complications arising from lung cancer

Donald Trump appeared on Fox News for his first post-White House television interview to discuss the death of conservative talk radio icon Rush Limbaugh.

The former president used the interview to push debunked conspiracy theories about the 2020 election.

"Well Rush thought we won, and so do I by the way, I think we won substantially, and Rush thought we won and he thought it was over at 10:00, 10:30, it was over. And a lot of other people feel that way too, but Rush felt that way strongly. And many people do, many professionals do," Mr Trump said. "And I don't think that could have happened to a Democrat, you would of had riots going all over the place if that happened to a Democrat, we don't have the same support at certain levels of the Republican system, but we have great people as Republicans."

After spending time relitigating the 2020 election, Mr Trump did eventually praise the radio host.

“We played golf together a little bit, he was a very strong guy physically, very strong, he hit the ball a long way,” Mr Trump said. The former president said he did not know Mr Limbaugh prior to his presidential campaign, but said the radio host backed him essentially from the very start.

“When we came down the escalator, he liked my rather controversial speech - I made that speech that was a little bit on the controversial side - and he loved it, and he was, without ever having met him or talked to him or had lunch with him or asked him, he was with me right from the beginning, and he liked what I said, and he agreed with what I said, and he was just a great gentleman, a great, great man.”

Mr Trump also released a statement acknowledging the radio host’s passing. “The great Rush Limbaugh has passed away to a better place, free from physical pain and hostility,” the statement said. “Rush was a patriot, a defender of Liberty, and someone who believed in all of the greatness our Country stands for.” He ended the statement by saying the radio host “will be missed greatly.”

Mr Limbaugh died on Wednesday after battling lung cancer.

Follow live: Trump leads tributes to conservative firebrand Rush Limbaugh

Mr Trump awarded Mr Limbaugh the Presidential Medal of Freedom nearly a year ago during his final State of the Union address.

Mr Limbaugh's wife, Kathryn, announced his death on his radio show Wednesday.

"As so many of you know, losing a loved one is terribly difficult, even more so when that loved one is larger than life," she said. "Rush will forever be the greatest of all time."

The radio host was a major boon to Mr Trump. Mr Limbaugh took Mr Trump's populism and culture war issues seriously at a time when other establishment politicians disregarded him as a side show.

As a result, many of Mr Limbaugh's listeners - and the host himself - became loyal Trump supporters.

During the 2020 election, Mr Limbaugh hosted a "radio rally" in which he practically turned control of his show over to Mr Trump.

Mr Limbaugh is considered one of the most influential media figures in American history.

His show was a daily fixture for many conservatives and was a frequent focus of derision for many liberals.