Rod Stewart Had a 3-Word Label for Donald Trump During a Rare Meeting With King Charles
Rod Stewartdoesn't do subtle. Never has.
So, when the 81-year-old rock legend found himself shaking hands with King Charles at a charity event in London last week, he decided to share exactly what he thought about the king's recent trip to America.
"May I say, well done in the Americas," Stewart told Charles at the King's Trust 50th anniversary celebration on May 11. "You were superb. Absolutely superb."
@itvnews Rod Stewart praised King Charles' four-day trip to the US meeting 'ratbag' President Donald Trump during an event on May 11th celebrating the 50th anniversary of the King's Trust at the Royal Albert Hall. #King#DonaldTrump#Royals
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Then he did the unthinkable, he said the quiet part out loud.
"You put that little ratbag in his place."
He was speaking about Donald Trump.
King Charles - who's supposed to stay out of politics - smiled. Stewart laughed. Then the rocker kept going.
After that, Stewart turned his attention to Queen Camilla and doubled down: "I was just congratulating your husband on his wonderful performance in the Americas, so great, so brave, so proud."
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The whole thing got recorded and posted to TikTok, where people couldn't believe thier eyes.
"Did I just become a Rod Stewart fan?" one fan commented, perfectly capturing what a lot of people seemed to be thinking.
Someone else chimed in: "All of a sudden I'm obsessed with Rod Stewart at 21."
Younger viewers especially seemed surprised to discover that this guy who made hits decades before they were born still has this much nerve.
The Backstory Behind Rod Stewart's Relationship With Donald Trump
Here's the thing, though: Rod and Donald used to be buddies.
They're literally neighbors in Florida, living about half a mile from each other on the beach. Stewart used to attend Trump's Christmas parties. They'd hang out. Stewart has said Trump was always "a bit of a man's man," which he appreciated.
But something shifted when Trump became president.
"Since he became president, he became another guy," Stewart told Radio Times last June. "Somebody I didn't know."
When the interviewer asked if Stewart still considers Trump a friend, he didn't hesitate: "No, I can't any more."
What broke the friendship? Trump's questionable comments about NATO soldiers who fought in Afghanistan.
Back in January, Trump gave an interview suggesting NATO troops kind of stayed out of direct danger during combat, saying they "stayed a little back, a little off the front lines." Stewart - who got knighted by Prince William in 2016 - was furious.
"We lost over 400 of our guys," Stewart said in a response video, talking about British soldiers who died. "Think about their parents. Think about it. And Trump calls them almost like cowards. It's unbearable."
Trump eventually backed off those comments after the U.K.'s Prime Minister called them "insulting." But by then, Stewart was done.
The charity event where all this happened was in celebration of 50 years of the King's Trust, which King Charles started back in 1976. The organization has helped more than 1.3 million young adults gain access to education, jobs, and training over the years.
In regard to King Charles' recent American visit? That was supposed to help strengthen the relationship between the U.S. and the U.K. Charles gave speeches about how the two countries have an "indispensable alliance" and discussed supporting Ukraine and NATO.
When Stewart congratulated King Charles for how he handled Trump, he was basically saying Charles managed to remain diplomatic while still making very important points.
Whether Stewart's judgment is fair or not depends on who you ask. However, there's something kind of refreshing about an 81-year-old rock star who's wealthy and established enough to just... say what he thinks. Even when he's talking to a king about a president.
Stewart's always been the type to speak his mind. That's why people loved him in the first place. And judging by the TikTok comments, a whole new generation is falling in love with him now.
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This story was originally published May 13, 2026 at 4:32 AM.