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Does Elton John support Donald Trump? Well, there's more to the story
(L-R) Elton John; Donald Trump
A recent interview of Sir Elton John is going viral for his apparent support of Donald Trump.
Sir Elton John has been going viral in recent days after a recent interview clip showed him seemingly expressing some support for (or not saying something directly negative about) conservative, right-wing presidential candidate Donald Trump.
"I know that you're not a supporter of Donald Trump's; he loves your music," the interviewer says in a 40-second clip of an interview between John and Variety. "How did it feel when he took the lyrics to 'Rocket Man,' and he used it as a nickname for Kim Jong Un."
John responds with a smirk: "I laughed. I thought it was brilliant. I just thought, 'Good on you, Donald. I'm the Rocket Man, yeah.' Donald's always been a fan of mine, and he's been to my concerts many, many times. So, I mean, I've always been friendly toward him, and I thank him for his support."
"When he did that, I just thought it was hilarious," John adds. "Of course [Kim Jong Un] hasn't heard of me. I'd be very surprised if he had. I've never toured North Korea, and I have no intention of doing so. But I thought it was a light moment, and it was fun."
This statement is being interpreted as John slightly supporting Trump, but there are several other statements being made in the exact same Variety interview that originated this viral clip that seem to give more context about where John stands politically.
If you keep reading this exact same interview — and don't just watch the 40 seconds of that clip circulating all over the web — the publication notes that John takes quite a few jabs at Trump while visiting Variety's Toronto International Film Festival Studio.
"Kindness will always win out… that's what I hope for the American election in November," the musician declared. During his following day at TIFF, John digs even deeper while sharing his perspective on U.S. politics.
"I don't go on stage and say to people, 'You must vote for the Republicans, [or] you must vote for the Democrats.' It's none of my business how they vote. They come to see me, and I'm so grateful they have," he explained. "What I want, by saying that last night, is to [communicate that] there is a danger, as Dick Cheney said the other day. America is in a very volatile position. And it's a country I love, and I've always loved, and I'm so thankful that it made me who I am."
John went on:
"I just want people to vote for things that are important to people: the right to choose, the right to be who you are, and not let anybody else tell you who to be. And that goes all the way up to the Supreme Court."
Variety then highlights a rhetorical statement from the singer. "I just hope that people make the right decision to see what the future is going to be," John reportedly said. "Is it going to be fire and brimstone, or are we going to have a much calmer [and] much safer place? People can vote for who they like, but as far as I'm concerned, I love love. I'm a loving person, and I want that to come back to America. I feel it's been lost in the last 12 years."
It's fair to say that this viral interview clip did cast some doubt among Elton John fans in regard to his political alignment, even though he's talked about his issues with the Trump team using his music to their campaign in the past.
On the other hand, it is worth noting that many are also seemingly jumping to the conclusion that John is supporting Trump when so many other statements — included in the exact same article — clearly underscore more progressive viewpoints that directly contradict the messaging shared by Trump and his campaign.
Elton John: Never Too Late is set to premiere on December 13 on Disney+.
Bernardo Sim is the deputy editor of Out, as well as a writer and content creator. Born in Brazil, he currently lives in South Florida. You can follow him on Instagram at @bernardosim.
Bernardo Sim is the deputy editor of Out, as well as a writer and content creator. Born in Brazil, he currently lives in South Florida. You can follow him on Instagram at @bernardosim.
