President Donald Trump has broken his silence on the death of martial arts legend and actor Chuck Norris, who passed away at the age of 86. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump described Norris as a 'really good tough cookie' and a 'great supporter'.
'He was a great guy. He was a really good tough cookie. We didn't want to fight him,' Trump said. 'And he was a great supporter. Wow, that's too bad.'
Norris died on Thursday morning following a sudden medical emergency in Hawaii. His family paid tribute to him as a 'devoted husband, a loving father and grandfather, an incredible brother, and the heart of our family.'
Norris was a prominent Republican supporter, endorsing Trump in the 2016 election and backing him in subsequent campaigns. He also supported other Republican figures, including Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Senator Ted Cruz, as well as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In earlier political cycles, Norris endorsed former House Speaker Newt Gingrich in 2012 and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee in 2008 and 2016. Huckabee, now serving as Trump's ambassador to Israel, famously used Norris in a campaign video titled 'HuckChuckFacts', which garnered 1.8 million views on YouTube.
Norris' death marks the end of an era for a man who was both a cultural icon and a steadfast political ally to many conservative figures.
