Iconic singer Elton John said Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's "Little Rocket Man" nickname for North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un was "hilarious."
"I laughed; I thought that was brilliant," John told Variety at the Toronto Film Festival, referencing the former president using his hit single "Rocket Man" as inspiration for the name. "I just thought, Good on you, Donald. … 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. It made me laugh."
In his 2022 memoir, "Never Give an Inch," former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo described how Trump had to explain the nickname to Kim Jong Un, who was unfamiliar with John. Trump also reportedly gifted him an autographed John CD.
"Of course, he hasn't heard of me, Kim Jong Un. I'd be very surprised if he had," John told Variety. "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."
John, who is the subject of the Disney+ documentary "Elton John: Never Too Late," also discussed the upcoming U.S. elections with Variety.
"I don't go on stage and say to people, You must vote for the Republicans, 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," John said. "What I want by saying that last night … 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."
While John did not explicitly endorse either Trump or Democrat presidential candidate Kamala Harris, he shared his hopes that voters will "make the right decision" this November.
"I just hope that people make the right decision to see what the future is going to be. Is it going to be fire and brimstone … or are we going to have a much calmer, a much safer place?" he said. "People can vote for who they like, but as far as I'm concerned, I love love. And 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."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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