Phil Collins, the British rock legend, expressed his displeasure with President Donald Trump during a recent interview on ‘Piers Morgan Uncensored.’ In the interview, Collins spoke about an unwritten song titled ‘Fat People With Guns,’ which he described as being about America. This conversation occurred just weeks before Collins’ induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist.
When questioned by Morgan about his thoughts on Trump, Collins, at 75 years old, responded, ‘not a lot,’ criticizing the president’s demeanor and contrast to former presidents. Collins remarked, ‘His whole manner is unattractive. Even when he’s saying he did nothing. Presidents historically have been eloquent and elegant… even if you don’t agree with them, you still respect them. But Trump is as nasty as he is, and you end up feeling dislike for him.’
Collins’ criticism is part of a larger debate about musicians using their platforms to critique Trump and the United States. Doug Eldridge, founder of Achilles PR, noted that such criticism can have different implications when artists move beyond targeting individual politicians to making broader statements about America. According to Eldridge, Americans generally focus on elections during election years but have other priorities. When rhetoric shifts from political criticism to broad statements about America, artists risk a costly response.
Collins shared his songwriting process, mentioning he had saved a provocative phrase for a potential future song. ‘I’ve got a song that’s waiting to be written called “Fat People with Guns,” which is about America,’ Collins said. ‘I just write that phrase down so I don’t forget it.’
Sarah Schmidt, president of PR firm Interdependence, commented that artists can face backlash when their political commentary appears to criticize Americans. She noted, ‘If an artist mocks a USA chant from stage, they can face swift and intense backlash because it’s not them commenting on a politician or policy. It’s them criticizing the beliefs of the people who ultimately pay their bills.’
Collins also discussed concerns about Trump potentially seeking to remain in office beyond a second term. Though he described himself as ‘not a political person,’ he speculated on Trump’s intentions, saying, ‘I’m sure he’s even tried, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he just tries to overrule the two-term deal.’ In August, Trump addressed rumors of running for another term, stating, ‘I’d love to run, but the law is very strong.’