Elton John performs during the 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, at L.A. Live in Los Angeles. (AP Photo\/Chris Pizzello) via Associated Press<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Sir Elton John<\/span> has caused something of a stir with comments he made during a new interview with Variety<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n The music icon recently sat down with the entertainment outlet to discuss his work with the Elton John AIDS Foundation<\/a>, 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.<\/span><\/p>\n Early on in the conversation, Sir Elton voiced his frustrations with the current state of HIV\/AIDS research, which he said he is \u201cenraged by\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYou know, there\u2019s a big war that\u2019s being settled, hopefully,\u201d the Candle In The Wind singer claimed. \u201cBut there\u2019s another war. with people who are suffering from HIV and AIDS that should be able to get their medicine but can\u2019t, because governments won\u2019t let them. It\u2019s inhumane.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cSo my big beef at the moment is, yes, thank God, maybe there\u2019s 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.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s 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.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n However, it was his remarks invoking US leader Donald Trump<\/span> that have captured many people\u2019s attention.<\/span><\/p>\n Donald Trump via Associated Press<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n During the interview, Sir Elton said: \u201cPresident Trump has maybe solved the peace problem. If he wants to go down as one of the greatest presidents in history \u2026 if he ended AIDS, that would really be a feather in his cap.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Many have already taken issue with Sir Elton\u2019s comments, pointing out that the Trump administration was restricted funds towards HIV and AIDS research<\/a>, while others also called into question his suggestion that \u201cending AIDS\u201d could help Trump be considered \u201cone of the greatest presidents in history\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n However, some claimed that Sir Elton\u2019s remarks were his way of appealing to Trump\u2019s famous ego in a way of getting him to do a good deed.<\/span><\/p>\n Indeed, Variety\u2019s piece said these quotes were a \u201c<\/span>businessman talking\u201d, offering a take that the Grammy winner \u201cunderstands that speaking in superlatives might possibly move the needle for his\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n Last year, Sir Elton gave a somewhat surprising response<\/a> when he was asked about Trump using one of his most popular songs to goad Kim Jong Un.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhen he did that, I just thought it was hilarious. It made me laugh,\u201d the British star claimed<\/a>, pointing out that \u201c<\/span>Donald\u2019s always been a fan of mine\u201d, and that he has \u201calways been friendly\u201d towards the US president and \u201cthank him for his support\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n It should be noted, though, that Sir Elton distanced himself from Trump in the past, turning down an offer to perform<\/a> at his first presidential inauguration and also shutting down the Trump camp\u2019s attempts to play his music at political rallies.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>