Raging Rod Stewart has ignited a transatlantic political and cultural storm after publicly rebuking Donald Trump – with sources claiming the former U.S. president is now plotting a punitive response aimed at blocking the rocker from performing in America.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the row erupted over the weekend after Stewart, 81, posted a furious Instagram video condemning 79-year-old Trump’s remarks about British and NATO troops who served in Afghanistan – comments that reignited scrutiny of Trump’s own Vietnam-era draft dodging.
The British singer brands the former president a ‘draft dodger’ on social media.
Stewart Demands Apology Over Trump’s NATO Remarks
Rod Stewart sparked backlash after calling out Trump’s remarks.
The singer, a longtime Florida neighbor of Trump and once a regular performer at his casinos, said the President’s comments crossed a moral line and demanded an apology.
Trump had sparked fury around the world after he said in an interview NATO troops stayed “a little off the front line” during the Afghan invasion.
He added the U.S. has “never needed” their support and “has never really asked anything of them.”
Stewart responded by invoking Britain’s war dead and Trump’s military record, branding the Republican a “draft dodger” and describing the remarks as “unbearable.”
He urged U.K. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to press Trump for an apology, arguing that the comments demeaned families who lost loved ones.
Trump Allies Plot Personal Revenge Against the Rocker
The President’s allies weaponize ‘visa rules’ to punish the rock legend.
Behind the scenes, sources said Trump’s allies are discussing a more personal counterattack.
A source said: “The feeling around Trump is that Rod crossed a line and embarrassed him publicly. The talk is about using visa rules to make life difficult and, if possible, stop him touring the States.”
Another source close to the matter said the strategy would rely on existing U.S. immigration provisions that allow officials wide discretion when assessing past conduct.
The insider added: “They believe there is enough material in Rod’s own public record to justify extra scrutiny. The aim would be to send a message without Trump having to say anything directly.”
Drug Use Admissions Could Spark U.S. Visa Ban
Immigration lawyers analyzed Stewart’s 2012 autobiography for visa-blocking evidence.
In his 2012 memoir Rod: The Autobiography, Stewart admitted he used to take cocaine anally.
He did so to avoid damaging his nasal passages and Stewart’s singing voice, which were being negatively affected by snorting the drug.
The method involved buying anti-cold capsules, emptying them, filling the halves with a pinch of cocaine, and inserting them as a suppository.
Stewart has stated he was never an addict and never went to rehab for cocaine use, describing himself as a “social user.”
He also used his memoir to debunk a long-standing urban legend that he had his stomach pumped after an evening with sailors, clarifying the rumor was fabricated by a disgruntled former publicist.
Immigration lawyers have since noted such admissions of past drug use can be grounds for visa denial under U.S. law.
A legal source told us: “If authorities want to be aggressive, a published admission like that can absolutely be used to block entry.”
A Decades-Long Friendship Shattered by Politics
The ‘Maggie May’ singer urges Prime Minister Keir Starmer to confront Trump.
Trump has so far avoided responding publicly to Stewart’s criticism. But the rocker’s attack is striking given the pair’s long friendship.
The singer has previously said he knew Trump “for a long time” and performed concerts at his casinos, while also acknowledging a sharp change after Trump entered politics.
Stewart has said his wife, Penny Lancaster, 54, refused to attend Trump’s Mar-a-Lago events, citing concerns about how he spoke about women.
Trump’s military record has long been controversial. During the Vietnam War he received five deferments, four for academic reasons and one for “bone spurs.”
For now, Stewart remains defiant. But as one source put it: “If Trump decides to push this, Rod could find America suddenly closed to him very quickly.”
