Bon Jovi frontman Jon Bon Jovi is concerned that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has a chance to win the White House in November.
In an interview with music website Gigwise this weekend, the 54-year-old rocker said that Trump’s political ascent in the United States, along with former UKIP leader Nigel Farage’s rise in the UK, represents “history repeating itself.”
“It’s an unbelievable time in American politics and it scares the sh*t out of me,” Bon Jovi said. “I pray he’s not the next president of the United States. It’s incredible that the man can lie to you. You tell him here’s factually what you said that’s incorrect and then he tells it the same [again].”
Bon Jovi — who has performed at fundraisers for the Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton, and last week helped Bill Clinton close out his final Clinton Global Initiative conference in New York — blamed the media for blowing Trump’s candidacy “out of proportion.”
Still, the rocker seemed concerned that Trump could win the election.
“If Hillary Clinton has a bad debate next week then we could be in for trouble,” he added.
In an interview with the Mirror this weekend, Bon Jovi defended Clinton over claims that she is not healthy enough to be president. Concerns about Clinton’s health received renewed attention this month after the candidate appeared to stumble while getting into a van outside a September 11 memorial event in New York City. Clinton’s campaign later said the candidate had been diagnosed with pneumonia.
“I think she’s in good health, she’s in [a] much better way and you can completely understand why she needed a moment,” he told the paper. “You get sick running around like that.”
Bon Jovi’s comments come as other American rock stars have weighed in on the 2016 race.
In portions of an interview with Rolling Stone published Friday, Bruce Springsteen slammed Trump as a “moron” whose candidacy, he said, represents a “tragedy for our democracy.”
“The republic is under siege by a moron, basically. The whole thing is tragic,” the E Street Band leader told the outlet.
Other singers who have ripped the Republican candidate in recent weeks include Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong, Cher and Barbra Streisand.
Follow Daniel Nussbaum on Twitter: @dznussbaum
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.