Trump: ‘Meat Loaf Was a Great Guy,’ He ‘Will Be Greatly Missed’

Singer Michael Lee Aday, who goes by the stage name Meat Loaf, arrives at the MusiCares Pe
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

Former President Donald Trump reacted to singer and actor Meat Loaf’s death on Friday, saying that he was a “great guy” whom he got to know “very well doing Celebrity Apprentice,” and that he will be “greatly missed.”

Meat Loaf, who was best known for his hit album Bat Out of Hell, and hit song “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That),” died on Thursday at the age of 74.

“Meat Loaf was a great guy — got to know him very well doing Celebrity Apprentice,” Trump said in a Friday statement. “He was smart, talented, open, and warm.”

“His success was enormous — we all loved him. Meat Loaf will be greatly missed!” the 45th president added.

Meat Loaf — whose real name is Marvin Lee Aday — appeared on Celebrity Apprentice in 2011.

A statement posted to his Facebook account during the early hours of Friday morning announced, “Our hearts are broken to announce that the incomparable Meat Loaf passed away tonight surrounded by his wife Deborah, daughters Pearl and Amanda and close friends.”

A cause of death was not revealed.

Our hearts are broken to announce that the incomparable Meat Loaf passed away tonight surrounded by his wife Deborah,…

Posted by Meat Loaf on Thursday, January 20, 2022

“We know how much he meant to so many of you and we truly appreciate all of the love and support as we move through this time of grief in losing such an inspiring artist and beautiful man,” the statement added.

“We thank you for your understanding of our need for privacy at this time,” the statement concluded. “From his heart to your souls… don’t ever stop rocking!”

In 2020 interview with Daily Express, Meat Loaf said that he had become “good friends” with Trump during his time on Celebrity Apprentice.

“I got on really well with him, we became good friends, I went out for dinner with him a couple of times and nobody else in the cast did,” the rocker said.

“All the people that would come on for the sponsors — almost every time — he would say, ‘Meat can you stay afterwards?’ and I would take pictures with the sponsors, at least six times,” he added.

You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Facebook and Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.

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