Keith Richards: America ‘Has to Get Rid’ of Trump

Keith Richards signs copies of his autobiography 'Life' at Waterstone's Boo
Ian Gavan/Getty Images

Guitarist Keith Richards told the far-left BBC that in 1989 he was so determined to “get rid of” Donald Trump, he pulled a knife on him.

Although Trump was not in the room at the time, Richards’ desire to “get rid of this man” was the motive, but only within the context of a concert promoter.

Nearly 30 years ago, during the Rolling Stones nationwide “Steel Wheels” tour (I still have the t-shirt), the band arrived for their shows in Atlantic City and, according to Richards, found “Donald Trump presents” in huge letters and the band’s name below in much smaller type.

Trump was the band’s official promoter in Atlantic City.

I got out my trusty blade, stuck it in the table and said: ‘You have to get rid of this man!’”

Richards joked, “Now America has to get rid of him. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!”

Although Richards declared the idea of a “President Trump” unimaginable in 2015, and a “worst nightmare,” Richards also said Trump was “refreshing” and “cut through a lot of crap.”

Yahoo News adds more to the “trusty blade story.” In 2015 concert promoter Michael Cohl told his own version of Richards’ story “saying Trump had agreed to host a pay-per-view event featuring the Stones in Atlantic City. But the band wanted nothing to do with him ― and when Trump turned up, Richards ordered Cohl to get rid of him.”

According to Cohl, no one in Vegas wanted anything to do with the Stones, “They didn’t get it, they didn’t like rock music yet,” he said. But Trump did and agreed to be the promoter.

“I opened my big mouth in the meeting with the Rolling Stones where they go, ‘This is all great, but we’re not going to be affiliated with Donald Trump. At all. Screw you.’ And I go, ‘I will control Donald Trump! Don’t you worry!'”

What everyone agreed on was that Trump would not be present for the show.  Trump being Trump, though, he still showed up that night and held a press conference.

Cohl claims he still ended up firing Trump that night (although it seems kind of late in the game for that to mean anything), but not before things threatened to get physical.

Lead singer Mick Jagger also commented on Trump’s use of the band’s song “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” at his rallies.

“It’s a funny song for a play-out song – a drowsy ballad about drugs in Chelsea! It’s kind of weird. He couldn’t be persuaded to use something else,” Jagger said.

 

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