Art Garfunkel, 84, Says He’s ‘Thinking of Leaving the Country’ Over Trump

Art Garfunkel, the 84-year-old folk icon best known as one half of Simon & Garfunkel, says he is seriously considering leaving the United States while Donald Trump occupies the White House.

In an interview with the Guardian, Garfunkel was asked about issues such as “global heating” and “those in power,” and his answer was blunt: “I don’t like America’s position at all.”

The singer, whose hits include “The Sound of Silence” and “Bridge over Troubled Water,” went further, admitting he has been giving real thought to fleeing the country. “I’m not aboard, and I’m thinking of leaving the country, frankly,” he said.

Garfunkel tied his unease to a cluster of global crises — rising temperatures, rising seas, and widespread hunger. “It’s real that the planet is getting warmer, that the water’s rising, that so many people are starving,” he said.

He also expressed shock at the Trump administration’s capture of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro earlier this year, which the president announced in January. “When Donald Trump took over Venezuela, are those the new rules? Just take over a country and run it?” Garfunkel asked. “It’s shocking, and you think: how on earth are we gonna change the presidency?”

Still, the singer offered a note of hope. “But Trump won’t last forever. So we’ve got to hope,” he declared.

Garfunkel, who turns 85 in November, has spent years walking long distances across the United States, Japan, and Europe — a hobby he has pursued since the 1980s. He said he still dreams of further travels: “Sail around the world, see India and China, sing in South America,” he said, adding, “I don’t wanna go into space.”

He also reflected on his public persona and his craft. “I hope I come across as philosophical,” Garfunkel said. “I’m a thinker, a book reader, a walker, but mostly I’m a singer.”

He admitted to stage nerves that persist even after decades in the spotlight. “I’m always very nervous, behind the curtain,” he said. “Then I walk out and hear the applause and I flip from fear to confidence right there.”

Garfunkel’s comments come eight months after Trump announced that U.S. forces had captured Maduro and flown him to the United States to face federal charges. Last week, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright traveled to Caracas to finalize a historic oil deal between the United States and Venezuela.

The singer’s remarks are the latest in a pattern of celebrities speaking out against the administration. But Garfunkel has rarely been so explicit about leaving the country, making his comments notable given his deep ties to American music and culture.

Garfunkel rose to fame in the 1960s alongside Paul Simon, producing some of the most enduring folk-rock records of the era. After the duo split in 1970, Garfunkel pursued a solo career and also acted in films such as Catch-22 and Carnal Knowledge.

In recent years, he has continued to perform and record, though his touring schedule has been limited by vocal cord issues. His comment about leaving the country may be more philosophical than literal — he did not specify a destination or a timeline — but it reflects a deep unease with the direction of American politics under Trump.

When asked what he would do if he left, Garfunkel mentioned a desire to keep singing and exploring. “I’m a thinker, a book reader, a walker, but mostly I’m a singer,” he said.

The Guardian interview did not include a response from the White House, and it remains unclear whether Garfunkel has taken any concrete steps toward relocation.

Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2026/09/08/folk-singer-art-garfunkel-considering-leaving-u-s-over-trump/