Howard Stern made waves this week with another round of sharp political commentary, this time taking aim at former President Donald Trump and, more notably, his supporters. Speaking on his SiriusXM show, Stern didn’t hold back, stating plainly that while he doesn’t personally hate Trump, his disdain is directed at those who continue to support the former president.
The conversation began with Trump’s weekend post on Truth Social, where Trump declared, “I hate Taylor Swift,” a statement that caught Stern’s attention. Stern, known for his blunt takes, linked Trump’s comments to a broader trend he sees in Trump’s worldview—an “us versus them” mentality. Stern reflected on this dynamic, saying, “This whole idea of you like me, you are good, and if you don’t, you are bad… I’ve been the victim of this.”
Though Stern has never been shy about his disagreements with Trump, his real ire seems to be directed at Trump’s voter base. “I don’t hate the guy,” Stern said, explaining that he reserves his frustration for those who vote for Trump.
“I think they’re stupid. I do. I’ll be honest with you, I have no respect for you,” he bluntly told his audience, making it clear that he wasn’t afraid of losing listeners over his views. Stern even anticipated backlash, noting that hate mail from Trump supporters would likely be pouring in, but shrugged it off, claiming, “I’m smarter than you, I just am.”
Stern went even further during a discussion with a guest caller from Michigan, comparing Trump’s rhetoric around immigrants to that of Adolf Hitler’s language about Jews during the Holocaust. Stern agreed wholeheartedly, stating, “It is the same playbook.” He drew a parallel between the rise of Trump and Hitler’s rise in Germany, saying that Hitler was similarly underestimated as a “buffoonish character” before winning an election and dragging Germany into disaster.
What really grabbed attention was Stern’s grim outlook on the future, predicting dire consequences if Trump were to return to the White House. “If the election goes the wrong way, it’s the end of the United States,” he said, not mincing words about what he sees as the stakes of the upcoming 2024 election.
This isn’t the first time Stern has taken aim at Trump supporters. His comments echo a similar sentiment he expjssed before the 2020 election, where he voiced his frustration over what he saw as a lack of awareness among voters.
Stern, often labeled as “woke” by critics, embraces the term, seeing it as a compliment. In his mind, being woke means being informed and rejecting what he sees as ignorance, particularly regarding Trump, the coronavirus, and social justice issues.
While Stern’s outspokenness about Trump has long been a part of his political persona, his remarks this week hit a little harder, especially as they come just days after a second assassination attempt on Trump’s life. The first attempt, which occurred in Butler, Pennsylvania, tragically claimed the life of Corey Comperatore, a Trump supporter who was attending a rally. Trump himself has blamed such threats on the left’s “dangerous rhetoric” that paints him as a threat to democracy.