Rock legend Phil Collins, 75, made his distaste for President Donald Trump, 80, known.
“His whole manner is unattractive,” the former Genesis lead singer said on Piers Morgan Uncensored. “Even when he’s saying he did nothing. Historically, presidents have been eloquent and elegant, but you feel like even if you don’t agree with them, you still respect them. But when someone like Trump is as nasty as he is, you end up feeling dislike for him.”
In 2020, Collins’ legal team sent a cease-and-desist letter to Trump’s campaign after they played “In the Air Tonight” at a Des Moines rally without authorization.
The letter said Collins “wants no affiliation whatsoever with The President or the Trump campaign.” Collins, an eight-time Grammy winner, is one of many artists, including Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, and Céline Dion, who have spoken out after Trump used their songs without permission.
“It’s very scary, what’s happening,” the Grammy-winning rocker continued. “He plays politics like a businessman, and it’s not really a business at all. It’s diplomacy. But he sees everything as a deal, won or lost. It’s a very scary time.”
Collins also discussed Trump’s pattern of desperately clinging to power, no matter the cost; however, he said he doesn’t believe Trump will try to remain in office beyond the two-term limit. The Constitution prohibits American presidents from running for a third term, but Trump has repeatedly teased a 2028 run anyway.
“I don’t think he would be allowed to do that,” Collins said. “I think even his own party, even his own followers would disagree with that suggestion. But he’s kind of training JD Vance to sort of be Trump, too.
Collins added that he might not be politically inclined, but he has a strong moral compass—and the president’s behavior sets off alarm bells.
“I’m not a political person, but I do see right from wrong, you know,” he said.
Collins will be inducted as a solo artist into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Nov. 14. He was first inducted in 2010 as a member of Genesis. He’s won eight Grammy Awards throughout his career, including Record of the Year for “Another Day in Paradise” in 1991 and Best Pop Vocal Performance for “Against All Odds” in 1985. He also won both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song for “You’ll Be in My Heart” from the 2000 animated movie Tarzan.
These days, Collins has an idea for a song about America, which he’s calling “Fat People with Guns.” Still, when host Morgan asked what he thought about Trump, Collins’ initial response was simple.
“Not a lot,” he said.
