Lady Gaga's father, Joe Germanotta, has slammed Vice President Kamala Harris as fake and endorsed “patriot” Donald Trump ahead of the 2024 election.
Germanotta also thanked Elon Musk amid the billionaire being investigated over assassination tweets about Kamala Harris.
The pop star, who famously champions LGBTQ rights, which the Trump campaign is firmly against, has stayed silent and not yet publicly endorsed any candidates.
The singer and actress sang the national anthem at President Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2021.
In an interview with right wing broadcaster Fox News on September 19, Germanotta called Trump and Harris “two vastly different people”, saying: “One of them is pure, and he’s a patriot.
“And the other is just going to say whatever she needs to say to get elected. That’s basically what I hear...
“If you stack them up side by side, I don't know what the hell she's talking about."
Germanotta said his business, Upper West Side restaurant Joanne Trattoria, was thriving during the Trump administration from 2017 to 2021, and that business in New York City has taken a turn for the worse since the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Six years ago, I was going to have the best year we ever had at Joanne before Covid,” he said. “And when I say [the] best year, it was 25 per cent more than any other year.
“My clientele, my customers, the ones that used to come once a week, now they come once every three weeks,” he claimed. “They're not coming to New York City. The tourist business is still fairly strong ... They're still popping into New York.
“You can’t get worse than it is now.”
Germanotta also said he liked Trump’s policies, including his economic plan, which includes putting major tariffs on overseas investors who want to trade with the US - something many financial experts say will come at a steep price to taxpayers who will ultimately foot the bill when foreign investors are forced to raise prices on their goods to pay the tariff penalties.
Gaga's dad also added that he's a fan of most of Trump's other plans, one of which could see a "Muslim ban", which the former president has vowed to reinstate and the erasure of LGBTQ+ rights.
Germanotta continued: “I mean, look, Donald, yeah, he’s abrasive, okay, but, you know, he’s a patriot, and his policies are there. All right, they’re on target for me anyway.
“I’m into low fuel and food prices – low interest rates,” he added. “Good economy, pro-police. Let the police do their job, law and order… Don’t let these protesters burn down our cities and the small businesses. Keep the jobs here in the United States.”
Germanotta, who comes from a family of Italian immigrants, also praised Trump’s divisive views on immigration. “It’s been an invasion, as far as I see it. We don’t have secure borders anymore. There’s no more legal immigration.
“I endorse Donald Trump. I endorse his policies. Freedom of speech. Thank you Elon Musk. That’s all I’ve got to say,” he concluded.
The Standard has contacted Gaga's team for comment.
