As The Rolling Stones prepare to release their 25th studio album, Foreign Tongues, this Friday, guitarist Keith Richards has offered a blunt assessment of the United States: it is, he says, 'a bit of a disappointment at the moment.'
In an interview with the Sunday Times, Richards addressed speculation that the album's track 'Ringing Hollow' is an anti-Trump anthem. He described the song as 'a nostalgic love affair with America, and (it being) a bit of a disappointment at the moment.'
Richards, who has lived in Connecticut since 1985, highlighted the economic strain felt by many Americans. 'All you hear is the moaning about the price of gas. This is where it hurts people,' he said, reflecting a sentiment that resonates across Europe, where energy costs have also surged.
European Perspectives on American Decline
Frontman Mick Jagger, speaking to MOJO, elaborated on the song's inspiration. While he stressed that 'Ringing Hollow' is not 'only about' Trump's America, it centers on 'America generally and your experiences of it.' Jagger noted that 'the American Dream is intact for some people,' but pointed to 'the decline of the American Empire' and questions about 'imperial overreach, and the lobbying system.'
These comments come amid broader European unease about US leadership. The European Union has increasingly sought to chart its own course on issues from climate policy to trade, a shift that aligns with Jagger's critique. The band's history of clashing with Trump over the unauthorized use of their songs at his rallies—including cease-and-desist letters in 2016 and 2020—adds a personal dimension to their political stance.
In 2019, Jagger used the Venice Film Festival to condemn Trump's environmental policies. 'The US should be the world leader in environmental control but now it has decided to go the other way,' he said, echoing concerns that have driven EU initiatives like the Green Deal. The IPCC has urged European nations to prioritize cooling for vulnerable populations during heatwaves, a stark contrast to US rollbacks.
The Rolling Stones' critique also reflects a wider European view of American polarization. Jagger warned of 'where all this polarisation and rudeness and lying is going to lead us,' a fear shared by many in Brussels and beyond. As the US heads into another election cycle, European observers watch closely, mindful of the continent's own struggles with populism and disinformation.
Foreign Tongues arrives at a time when transatlantic relations are under strain, with debates over NATO funding, trade tariffs, and climate commitments. The album's title itself hints at cultural and linguistic divides, a theme that resonates from the Élysée to the Bundestag. For European fans, the Stones' latest work offers not just music, but a commentary on the shifting global order.
