President Donald Trump’s favorite singer has opened up about how he could go down as “one of the greatest presidents in history.”
Elton John, 78, who in 1992 established what is now the fifth-largest HIV philanthropic funder in the world, told Variety that if the president manages to end AIDS, it would “really be a feather in his cap.”
Although the president launched an initiative during his first term to end the HIV epidemic in the U.S by 2030, reports indicate that in his second term, funding to the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which has saved around 26 million lives globally since its inception in 2003, has been cut.
“The bipartisan thing makes common sense,” the singer said about working together to cure the disease.
John has previously acknowledged that Trump is his fan, telling Variety in 2024 that the president has attended his concerts “many times.”
Responding to Trump referring to North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un as “Little Rocket Man,” John told the outlet, “I laughed. I thought that was brilliant. I just thought, ‘Good on you, Donald.’ He added, ”I’ve always been friendly toward him and I thank him for his support.”
He later clarified on Instagram that this did not mean he supported Trump in the election.
“Part of an interview I gave … is being taken out of context and falsely misconstrued as a personal endorsement of Donald Trump,” John wrote. “It’s not. I was simply acknowledging the fact that Trump has long been a fan of my music, and that historically he’s been very kind to me about that.”
“I don’t go on stage and say to people, ‘you mustn’t vote for the Republicans, you mustn’t vote for the Democrats.’ It’s none of my business how they vote,” the singer wrote, quoting and sharing a clip of the interview that had received less attention.
Despite Trump’s repeated use of John’s iconic “Tiny Dancer” at campaign rallies, the singer declined an invitation from Trump to perform at his first inauguration, according to a 2019 New York Times report.
“Thank you so much for the extremely kind invitation to play at your inauguration,” John reportedly wrote in an email. “I have given it at [sic] lot of thought, and as a British National I don’t feel that it’s appropriate for me to play at the inauguration of an American President. Please accept my apologies.”
