Elton John has recently praised President Donald Trump for his foreign policy work but stopped short of saying he was one of the nation’s greatest presidents.

Instead the beloved musician explained what could cement Trump as one of the greatest American presidents ever to sit in the Oval Office.

Last year John called it brilliant when Trump labeled North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un Rocket Man in reference to one of John’s songs. However the singer faced backlash over allegedly endorsing Trump for the 2024 presidential election.

John later clarified his position in an Instagram post saying he was simply acknowledging the fact that Trump has long been a fan of John’s music and that historically he’s been very kind to him.

Fast-forward to an interview with Variety published Tuesday and the 78-year-old is still not shy about giving the president credit where it is due. Moreover John praised Republicans who have shown interest in his work to find a cure for AIDS.

“The bipartisan thing makes common sense. To see us come so far with the medical and scientific advances, and to think this is the only disease that can be completely cured in one’s lifetime.”

John then connected Trump’s peacemaking to another cause close to his heart.

“President Trump has maybe solved the peace problem. If he wants to go down as one of the greatest presidents in history … if he ended AIDS, that would really be a feather in his cap.”

Sir Elton spoke more generally on Trump’s peacemaking progress overseas expressing hope that the big war between Israel and Palestine will be settled soon.

He then referred to AIDS as another war that is being prevented from ending because governments won’t allow medicine to get to the people who need it.

“There are crimes against millions of other people that are happening because of governments and stigma and hate. It’s 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.”

During his first administration Trump launched an initiative called Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. and announced it during the 2019 State of the Union address.

“In recent years, we have made remarkable progress in the fight against HIV and AIDS. Scientific breakthroughs have brought a once-distant dream within reach.”

The president said the goal of the program was to eliminate the HIV epidemic in the United States within the next 10 years.

“We have made incredible strides. Incredible. Together, we will defeat AIDS in America and beyond.”

John’s willingness to praise Trump stands out in an entertainment industry that overwhelmingly opposes the president. Most celebrities who express anything positive about Trump face immediate backlash from fans and colleagues.

The singer’s long relationship with Trump predates his political career. The two have known each other for decades and Trump attended John’s events when he was still a businessman and reality television star.

John’s focus on bipartisan cooperation reflects his pragmatic approach to advocacy. He has worked with both Republican and Democratic administrations to advance funding for AIDS research and treatment.

The 78-year-old musician has devoted decades of his life to fighting AIDS through his Elton John AIDS Foundation. He has raised hundreds of millions of dollars for research and treatment programs around the world.

His acknowledgment that Trump has maybe solved the peace problem represents significant praise from someone outside the president’s usual base of supporters. John is referring to Trump’s diplomatic efforts to end conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

The connection John draws between ending wars and ending AIDS reflects his view that both require political will and sustained commitment. He sees Trump as someone capable of marshaling resources toward ambitious goals.

Trump’s 2019 initiative to end the HIV epidemic showed he was willing to prioritize this issue during his first term. John appears hopeful that the president will continue and expand those efforts during his second term.

The singer’s reference to treating people in a Christian kind of way echoes themes that resonate with many conservative voters. His appeal combines moral language with practical policy goals.

John’s praise for Trump despite the risk of backlash demonstrates courage that few in Hollywood possess. He is prioritizing his cause over his reputation in liberal entertainment circles.