Sir Elton John has caused something of a stir with comments he made during a new interview with Variety.
The music icon recently sat down with the entertainment outlet to discuss his work with the Elton John AIDS Foundation, a charity he co-founded in the early 1990s which has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to support HIV and AIDS-related organisations globally.
Early on in the conversation, Sir Elton voiced his frustrations with the current state of HIV/AIDS research, which he said he is “enraged by”.
“You know, there’s a big war that’s being settled, hopefully,” the Candle In The Wind singer claimed. “But there’s another war. with people who are suffering from HIV and AIDS that should be able to get their medicine but can’t, because governments won’t let them. It’s inhumane.
“So my big beef at the moment is, yes, thank God, maybe there’s peace, after more things are sorted out. But there are crimes against millions of other people that are happening because of governments and stigma and hate.
“It’s so frustrating when you have the medicine, you have prep, you have the antiretrovirals. We can stop the spread of AIDS, if people just got off their backsides and treated human beings in a Christian kind of way.”
However, it was his remarks invoking US leader Donald Trump that have captured many people’s attention.
During the interview, Sir Elton said: “President Trump has maybe solved the peace problem. If he wants to go down as one of the greatest presidents in history … if he ended AIDS, that would really be a feather in his cap.”
Many have already taken issue with Sir Elton’s comments, pointing out that the Trump administration was restricted funds towards HIV and AIDS research, while others also called into question his suggestion that “ending AIDS” could help Trump be considered “one of the greatest presidents in history”.
He just slashed HIV/AIDS research funding, as well as kicking thousands off their healthcare, so IDK what makes him think Trump gives a flying fuck.
— Meag 🇵🇸🇺🇦 (@TheQueenKida) November 25, 2025
Excuse me? Bro what?! Trump doesn’t give a FUCK about aids and hasn’t fixed any peace problem!!! Elton John you DISAPPOINT me https://t.co/e7ZhceMrki
— Lainey is Actually Romantic ⸆⸉ ❤️🔥 (@mothtoaflame13) November 25, 2025
Can’t imagine looking at how he’s handled USAID and assume he’s gonna help the AIDS crisis at all
— Richard. (@MarxistNova) November 25, 2025
Sit this out Elton. That man is not worried about doing anything to help anyone unless it means money in his pockets
— PJ the Trekkie (@PEBPhotography) November 25, 2025
However, some claimed that Sir Elton’s remarks were his way of appealing to Trump’s famous ego in a way of getting him to do a good deed.
Indeed, Variety’s piece said these quotes were a “businessman talking”, offering a take that the Grammy winner “understands that speaking in superlatives might possibly move the needle for his”.
Last year, Sir Elton gave a somewhat surprising response when he was asked about Trump using one of his most popular songs to goad Kim Jong Un.
“When he did that, I just thought it was hilarious. It made me laugh,” the British star claimed, pointing out that “Donald’s always been a fan of mine”, and that he has “always been friendly” towards the US president and “thank him for his support”.
It should be noted, though, that Sir Elton distanced himself from Trump in the past, turning down an offer to perform at his first presidential inauguration and also shutting down the Trump camp’s attempts to play his music at political rallies.
Speaking in the lead-up to last year’s presidential election, Sir Elton said: “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.
“I just want people to vote for things that are just, things that are important to people: the right to choose, the right to be who you are, and not let anybody else tell you who to be. And that goes all the way up to the Supreme Court.”