John Lydon compares Nigel Farage to fairground worker and calls Donald Trump “the Sex Pistols of politics”: “I met him once and did not like him”

John Lydon has compared Nigel Farage to a fairground worker, and described Donald Trump as “the Sex Pistols of politics” in a new interview.

• READ MORE: John Lydon on how he’s channelling grief into a new “raucous” Public Image Ltd album

The former Sex Pistols frontman (aka Johnny Rotten) shared his thoughts on the two politicians during a new interview with The Mirror, and recalled the time he met the US President.

His comments came shortly after he told the outlet his stance on the royal family, saying that while he has “nothing against them as human beings”, he does believe that they are “born in a bird cage” and have things “overspent on them”.

Segueing into politics, he added of the Reform leader: “Nigel Farage is like someone you would meet at a fairground who says ‘do you want to buy one of these watches?’” and of Donald Trump, he shared: “I met him once and I did not like him.”

Lydon went on to share how the moment was at the VH1 music awards, which he was attending with his wife Nora – who died in 2023. “I had a show called Rotten Radio and I was invited. My lovely wife came with me,” he said. “Trump was going in with Jennifer Lopez and Nora trod on her dress and tore the train and they went nuts on us. It was a gorgeous fiasco. Trump is the Sex Pistols of politics.”

The former Sex Pistols singer has seemingly had a hot-and-cold approach to the US president over the years. Back in March 2017 he defended Brexit, Nigel Farage and Donald Trump when he appeared on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, and described meeting Nigel Farage as “fantastic”.

Of Trump, he said: “There are many, many problems with him as a human being but […] there just might be a chance something good will come out of that situation because he terrifies politicians.

“This is a joy to behold for me. Dare I say, [he could be] a possible friend.”

Later that month, he doubled down on his claims, saying that the US business mogul and politician was “absolutely magnificent” and “a total cat amongst the pigeons”.

Speaking to Virgin Radio around that time, however, Lydon explained that he thought he was “misunderstood” when he claimed that Trump could become a friend. 

He said that, what he meant was: “America now has a new President and whether you like him or not you have to support him or you will destroy the country. You got to make things work.”

“The attitudes that are being pulled on him are stupid and wrong,” the punk icon added. “He’s got some serious money issues and business concerns that deeply fascinate all of us but to be smearing him as a racist, this isn’t right, there’s no evidence or proof to that and until there is, I’ll stand up and say that I think that’s wrong.”

In October 2020, around the time of the US election, Lydon said he was voting for Donald Trump as he felt Joe Biden was “incapable” of leading America. The following month, he reaffirmed this stance, saying: “It makes complete sense to me to vote for a person who actually talks about my kind of people.”

“Trump’s not a politician. He’s never claimed to be. How unusually, exceptionally wonderful is that for people like me?,” he shared. “We’re bored with your intellectual left-wing ideas. We can’t take more of ya. You talk twaddle. Everything you do, you just miss the point of who the general population are…”

Earlier this year, Lydon spoke to NME about his past controversial championing of Donald Trump, and described the president as “one of the most horrible little runts I’ve ever seen.” He also added: “I’ll never like him. I’ll vote for him but that’s about it.”

Lydon is currently on the road as part of a new UK spoken word tour, dubbed ‘Untamed, Unscripted & Uncensored’. Next month, he will be headed out for live shows with Public Image Ltd., as the band head out for the new leg of the ‘This Is Not The Last Tour’. Visit here for tickets and more information.

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