One person at Tuesday’s lunch said Trump appeared to be “ shaken up” by the news, and kept mentioning that he and Limbaugh had seen each other in West Palm Beach, Fla. as recently as Dec. 22, when the president was in town for an extended holiday stay and had lunch with Limbaugh, professional golfer Jim Herman and his son Eric Trump.

“He said he told Rush, ‘You look great – like you’ve lost weight,’ but that Limbaugh didn’t say anything at the time about his health,” this person said.

Limbaugh, who did not respond to a request for comment, said on his radio program that he was officially diagnosed with lung cancer by “two medical institutions back on Jan. 20.” The news came less than a month after he renewed his contract for a four-year deal with Premier Radio Networks, the syndication company that hosts his program.

“Rush just signed another four-year contract. He just wants four more years, OK?” Trump told a crowd at an event with evangelical supporters on Jan. 3 in Miami.

Several administration officials weighed in on Twitter about Limbaugh’s diagnosis, including Vice President Mike Pence, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway and Trump himself.

“Many people do not know what a great guy and fantastic political talent the great Rush Limbaugh is,” Trump wrote. “There is nobody like him. Looking for a speedy recovery for our friend!”

Asked about the forthcoming award, White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said in an email, "I actually have ethics so I’m not going to comment on an off the record lunch."

Limbaugh would not be the first friend of the administration to receive the presidential honor since Trump took office. The president previously awarded the Medal of Freedom to Republican megadonor Miriam Adelson and retired GOP Sen. Orrin Hatch, and posthumously to the late conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.