Kid Rock on his friendship with Trump: 'A front row seat to the greatest shit show on earth'

Kid Rock, the country rock singer whose real name is Bob Ritchie, sat down for an in depth interview with Australian broadcaster Sky News Australia to talk at length about his remarkable friendship with US President Donald Trump. The conversation was hosted by presenter Paul Murray as part of a one hour documentary titled "Trump's America: 250 Years in the Making."

When Murray asked what it is like to have a friend who "runs the world," Ritchie did not hesitate: "Fucking awesome." He then went on to describe what that friendship actually looks like day to day, including late nights when he just picks up the phone and calls the president. "It's one of my late night drinking tricks. 'Cause I know when to get him. And he's so gracious. He always picks up. Or he'll call and check in, just to shoot the shit most of the time," the musician said. He was quick to point out that these are very different conversations from anything policy related: "He's not calling me to, like, 'Hey, what should we do in Iran, Bob?' I don't get those calls."

The most striking line in the interview was how he summed up the whole experience. "I enjoy the hell out of hanging out with him and talking with him and just having a front row seat to the greatest shit show on Earth," Ritchie said, a phrase that raised eyebrows even among his supporters, though he clearly meant it as a compliment.

Ritchie also stood firmly behind Trump against his critics. "It kills me, the people that don't see that," he said about those who, in his view, fail to recognize that Trump puts the country first. "I know his heart and soul, his concern is for this country, period." He brushed off criticism of Trump's business activities during his presidency by pointing out that Trump is a businessman who was already wealthy long before he entered the White House.

The bond between Ritchie and Trump goes back years. The musician has performed at Republican affiliated events, sat next to Trump at American football games and UFC fights, and received invitations to the White House. This past February he took the stage at the "All American Halftime Show," organized by conservative lobbying group Turning Point USA as a counter event at the same time Bad Bunny headlined the official Super Bowl halftime show. In July 2024 he performed on the fourth night of the Republican National Convention, playing his song "American Bad Ass" with lyrics reworked to show support for Trump. Ritchie previously told Rolling Stone that he had always understood the risks of backing Trump so publicly: "When I doubled down on it, I knew that could be a career ender. But I was betting that there were a lot of like minded people out there."

Alongside Kid Rock, Ted Nugent, Aaron Lewis of Staind, and John Dolmayan of System of a Down are among the best known musicians who have openly declared their support for Trump.