John Lydon has spoken to NME about his previous controversial championing of Donald Trump, describing him as “probably the most horrible little runts I’ve ever seen,” and clarifying “I’ll by no means like him. I’ll vote for him however that’s about it.”
For years, Lydon has dismayed some Intercourse Pistols and Public Picture Ltd followers together with his enthusiasm for the forty fifth and forty seventh president of america, even donning a pink MAGA (Make America Nice Once more) cap throughout interviews. In 2017, he referred to as Trump “magnificent” and “a cat amongst the pigeons“, earlier than claiming that his opponents would “destroy” America.
He would go on to name Trump “the one hope” and state that Joe Biden was “incapable” of main the US.
Addressing his contentious help, Lydon – who now lives in California – has now instructed NME he appreciated the concept of Trump as a disruptor moderately than a person. “It’s six of 1, half a dozen of the opposite. I’m not a slave to his system,” he mentioned. “I don’t even like him. I met him as soon as, a very long time earlier than he ran for election, and I assumed he was probably the most horrible little runts I’ve ever seen.
“However as a politician – which he’s not, which is a blessing – due to the state America is in, it’s so unhealthy, it’s going to wish a nasty-ass feller to fucking say no to a number of it. And he’s the one.”
Regardless of Trump’s observe file of relentless false or deceptive claims, Lydon added: “He’s not going to inform any of the common routines or lies. America voted for change. We need to strive one thing completely different right here. We’re fed up with the corruption within the establishments, so yippee. However no, I’ll by no means like him. I’ll vote for him, however that’s about it.”
From his residence in LA, Lydon, who turned an American citizen in 2013, claimed that his private expertise as a full-time carer for his late spouse Nora Forster (who died of Alzheimer’s in 2023) partly influenced his vote.
As he witnessed the June 2024 presidential debate between Democrat Joe Biden and Trump in Atlanta, he had questions over the previous’s obvious cognitive decline. Biden’s efficiency within the debate, the place he appeared confused and stumbled over phrases, triggered considerations amongst Democrats concerning his potential to win, which in the end led to him withdrawing because the social gathering’s nominee in favour of Kamala Harris.
“After all I voted for Trump,” Lydon mentioned. “Hi there?! My spouse was dying of Alzheimer’s, proper? She knew that Biden was a raging fool. How will you vote for somebody who was clearly affected by one thing? It may have been dementia or Alzheimer’s…however he was clearly not a nicely man and shouldn’t have pushed out that means. And positively not pushed on a well-educated viewers, it doesn’t matter what they are saying about Individuals – they’re higher educated than most. And Trump supporters will not be idiots. They know what they’ve needed to endure.”
Lydon’s high-profile endorsements of Brexit and Trump, and his espousing of “anti-woke” views, has been met with widespread criticism from many friends and followers. Some have contemplated whether or not his views are an extension of his former Johnny Rotten punk-provocateur wind-up service provider persona. His ex-Intercourse Pistol bandmate, Glen Matlock, urged his embrace of Make America Nice Once more was an act of attention-seeking nihilism, opining he “would do something to get publicity…I don’t assume that’s adequate, actually, you recognize?…You possibly can’t say you help Trump and put on a MAGA hat for amusing. It’s not humorous.”
Chatting with NME final 12 months, Matlock added: “Method again when, there was one thing about John that I didn’t get on with as a result of I couldn’t fairly put my finger on it. And him popping out with that form of encapsulates the entire thing, actually. John was improbable again then. He wrote some nice lyrics, however did he actually imply ‘em? Ah, that’s the factor. I by no means discovered him that honest.”
Others in his outdated band have struck a much less strident tone. Discussing whether or not Lydon’s Trumpism may tarnish the Pistols’ legacy, Intercourse Pistols guitarist Steve Jones instructed NME: “No, by no means. Everybody’s bought a proper to love whoever they wanna like. I do know it’s in all probability not in favour, particularly when John was carrying that [MAGA] t-shirt [in 2018], however I like that John stands up and don’t go together with the movement. He sticks his neck out much more. I can’t be bothered. I don’t need no anger from folks!”
But some have felt that Lydon is betraying the values of punk, a stance that may be most succinctly summed up by Paul Weller , when he claimed, again in 2008, that Lydon had “change into the antithesis of what he as soon as was.”
“Did he say that about me?”, countered Lydon, talking to NME. “He’s bought the phrases flawed – he’s became every little thing he was towards! That don’t imply the remainder of us!,” he added with amusing. “I like Paul, however he’s not the brightest spark on the planet. Let’s be sincere, he began out with a band that was simulating the Mod motion from the ‘60s, in order that’s not a great begin. You’re already imitating another person’s time. So watch out Paul. Don’t level fingers my means, I’ll chunk them off mate!”
Questioned over whether or not he’d misplaced mates due to his outspoken political opinions, Lydon replied: “They wouldn’t be my mates, would they? Truly, lots of people are leaping on me, ‘trigger they go ‘Trump! Trump! Trump!’ You don’t know what you’re speaking about. You don’t stay right here. I do. I join with working class America as a result of I’m working class fucking English.
Lydon continued: “I do know what it’s like – you may have all of your socialism up there and every little thing’s pretty and also you’re all patting yourselves on the again, however who do you count on to select up your rubbish? My lot. In the event you don’t make it higher for my lot, then you definitely lot can fuck off! Vive la revolution! And it ain’t gonna be led by communists or Marxists.
“While you’re poor, you need to do the most effective you may and get out of that. That’s at all times been my perspective. I’m not going to alter that and also you lot from a extra privileged background don’t have any proper to inform me in any other case.”
Lydon was talking to NME barely per week on from Trump’s inauguration in January, which noticed performances from Carrie Underwood and the Village Folks, whose anthem ‘Y.M.C.A.’ has change into a staple of his rallies. Rappers, together with Snoop Dogg and Soulja Boy, weathered condemnation for enjoying his Crypto Ball days forward of it. As a visual MAGA supporter in a largely anti-Trump music business, was Lydon requested to play any occasions?
“No,” he responded. “By no means even thought of it. I don’t assume I might do it. God, think about the pink tape and rigmarole.”
Trump spent his first hours in workplace signing a blizzard of govt orders, together with rolling again Biden-era protections for transgender Individuals and paving the way in which to hold out his pledge of mass deportations. These edicts prompted the Episcopal bishop of Washington to enchantment on to Trump to “have mercy upon” these throughout the nation singled out by the brand new administration’s immigration and LGBTQ+ insurance policies.
When requested how he would reply to LGBTQ+ folks and immigrants – the marginalised communities you may count on punk was supposed to face up for – who may really feel fearful on the prospect of a second Trump presidency, Lydon replied: “That’s as a result of they’re working by way of an exquisite minefield of misinformation,” swatting away any considerations as faux information earlier than focussing on his favoured topic of immigration.
Lydon, himself the son of immigrants, continued: “No person’s mentioned ‘boo’ about stopping immigration right here in America, however we’re undoubtedly up for stopping unlawful immigration. Now that’s a phrase that was cleverly altered by the Democrat social gathering to drop ‘unlawful’ and simply make it migrants. They’re not migrants – they’re breaking into your own home, into your world, your universe, and you must pay taxes for them! That’s not proper. Consider your individual flat. Your individual home. Do you assume that anybody has the fitting to stroll in and fiddle about and take what they like? No! View it that means. ‘Get out of my backyard – these are my dandelions.’”
In different information, Lydon lately poignantly opened up about how the upcoming Public Picture Ltd tour and dealing on new “raucous” music helps him navigate bereavement. “Unhappiness is an power,” he mentioned, in echoes of PiL’s iconic 1986 observe ‘Rise’ (which acknowledged that ‘Anger is an power’). “It may both be utilized or you may let it eat you alive. The second choice shouldn’t be very fascinating to me.”
Speaking about musician mates who had contacted him within the wake of the passing of his spouse, Lydon mentioned “Many individuals did, and that was pretty. I’ve bought to say Paul [Daley] from Leftfield [whom Lydon collaborated with on the track ‘Open Up’ in 1993] despatched me a beautiful message – that hit my coronary heart.” Requested if any of his estranged former Intercourse Pistols bandmates had reached out, he replied: “No. They’re lifeless to me. They’re poison.”
Lydon additionally took half in NME’s notorious career-spanning Does Rock ‘N’ Roll Kill Braincells? quiz, the place he recalled spurning the chance to collaborate with Daft Punk, Kate Bush’s “horrified” response to a observe he wrote for her, in addition to sharing his ideas on Frank Carter fronting a much-publicised reformation of the three different remaining Intercourse Pistols and why he finds Taylor Swift “extremely uninteresting” and mentioned that he ‘doesn’t like Woman Gaga as an individual’.
PiL will likely be embarking on a full UK and Eire tour in Might. Go to right here for tickets and extra info. The band have lately shared plans to launch the “lengthy misplaced” various US mixture of ‘First Version’ for File Retailer Day 2025.
Lydon can also be embarking on a stay talking I May Be Improper, I May Be Proper – Q&A Tour. For additional info go to right here
