Paul McCartney Slams 'Trump's America': Music as a Refuge from Political Chaos

Paul McCartney isn’t holding back when it comes to President Donald Trump and the political circus he’s created. In a recent podcast chat, the legendary Beatle declared that music serves as one of the most “valuable” escapes from the relentless bickering in “Trump’s America.”

On the latest episode of “The Rest Is Entertainment,” McCartney shared his thoughts with hosts Marina Hyde and Richard Osman. He noted that while some audiences might not vibe with his song choices, his timeless hits still manage to unite people.

“Particularly these days, you do something like ‘Hey Jude’ and you see this whole audience singing together,” McCartney explained. “In Trump’s America — with Republicans and Democrats at each other’s throats — when we do that song, they’re not.”

He continued, “They’re all loving it, and it’s like, ‘Wow, this is pretty amazing,’ you know? Suddenly this room has forgotten all of that. It’s not about arguing; we’re just going to sing together.”

With a catalog of some of the most iconic songs of the 20th century, McCartney stands as one of the last two surviving Beatles. He boasts an impressive 83 Grammy nominations, 19 wins, and a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II — all while being a vocal critic of Trump.

The Liverpool native previously revealed that his 2018 track “Despite Repeated Warnings” was inspired by climate-change deniers like Trump. He told BBC Music that the “mad captain” referenced in the song was “obviously” meant to be Trump.

In his 2021 book, “The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present,” he doubled down on his critique. “We’re faced with a political situation, particularly in the US, where a braggart has been in charge and seems quite unstable to say the least,” he wrote. “He’s shouting the loudest, but he’s not necessarily the smartest.”

During his presidency, Trump rolled back numerous climate change initiatives — a cause close to McCartney’s heart. But he’s not alone in his disdain for Trump; fellow British music icon Rod Stewart has also taken shots at the former president.

Stewart recently thanked King Charles for schooling “that little ratbag” Trump during a pointed address to Congress last month.

McCartney wrapped up his podcast appearance on a hopeful note, emphasizing the importance of unity through music. “So those kinds of things, I think, are valuable,” he said. “I like that, and I also like it for them.”