Recommendations of the Editorial team
KISS co-founder Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley-who are honored this year after Donald Trump’s takeover and populist realignment of the Kennedy Center-while Trump’s second term hardly expressed to him. Before that, however, they were significantly more likely to make opinion. Especially Simmons, who appeared in Trump’s TV show “Celebrity Apprentice” in 2008. (Ex-guitarist Ace Frehley explained in 2020 that he was a Trump supporter.) Here is an overview of what Simmons and Stanley said about Trump over the years. Who will personally moderate the event.
Gene Simmons
March 2016: Simmons predicts Trump’s election victory in Rolling Stone without expressly securing his support. “He is the most political animal I’ve ever seen on stage. He says disgusting things. But he speaks freely and stands. And he is not here to be your friend. He is good for the political system.”
July 2016: Simmons describes Trump on CNN as a “sincere guy” and “Straight Shooter”. However, he admits that he appeared “inadequate”.
September 2017: After cancellation of an appearance at Trump’s inauguration, Simmons tells the “Daily Beast”: “This is not a good idea in this polarized time.”
In the same month he explains in Rolling Stone that Trump was the “elected president”. He deserves respect, but admits that he “not” works well.
Trump and Simmons – distance and criticism
May 2018: Simmons supports Trump’s politics to move the US message to Jerusalem. Also the construction of a border wall. “The Vatican has a high wall for the same reason,” said Simmons to CNBC.
July 2019: In “Good Morning Britain” he calls Trump a “New York street fighter”. And says “the earth is in better condition than ever”.
January 2021: Simmons contradicts Trump’s electoral fraud claims on Twitter. “60 courts and 60 judges – also appointed by Trump – have rejected all accusations.”
August 2021: In conversation with Yahoo, he criticizes Trump’s pandemic management and supports vaccination and masks. “The stripes of a tiger don’t change.”
May 2022: In the “Spin” interview, he accuses Trump of “making racism socially acceptable” and describes it as “only considered to himself”.
November 2022: At Bill Maher, Simmons says Trump has changed a lot after taking office.
Paul Stanley
August 2020: Stanley tweeted that it is “dangerous” and “reprehensible” when a candidate claims in advance that defeat means election fraud.
September 2020: Reaction to Trump’s morning Twitter attacks: “Is that presidential?” Stanley asks his followers.
January 2021: After Trump’s call to Georgia election manager to “find” votes, Stanley calls the “mob boss behavior” and a danger to democracy. After the storm on the Capitol, he describes the attackers as “terrorists” and gives Trump and certain senators to blame.
November 2024: After Trump’s re -election, Stanley calls for reconciliation: “If your candidate has lost, accept it and try to understand why … when he has won, know that this country also loves this country.”