Kid Rock says his public support for President Donald Trump has cost him corporate deals and late-night television invitations, but the rocker insists he has no regrets about the trade-off. In an interview with Fox News Digital, the musician — born Robert James Ritchie — said the professional fallout has given him something he values more: the freedom to speak his mind without worrying about the next opportunity.
«My relationship with Trump, yeah, that canceled all the, uh, any corporate deals coming my way,» Kid Rock said. «I don't really get invited to be part of, you know, things like the NFL or things like that … all the shows that I was so friendly with over the years, from all the late-night talk shows to my friend Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon, I don't really get invited on there anymore.» He added that he does not know whether that will change, «and I honestly, I don't care.»
The rocker said he anticipated the consequences when he became more vocal politically. «I put my country before pretty much everything except my family and God,» he said. «So, yeah. There's been things like that, but that's no sweat off my back.» He described the shift as a release from the corporate maneuvering that once came with his career, particularly the worry about how his opinions might affect his next deal. «I didn't enjoy the rat race of the music business,» he said. «It was very necessary, and I'm glad I did it. And I'm thankful for all the opportunities that got me to where I am today. But the message I'm putting out now is so much more important than any of that.»
Kid Rock said he once felt pressure to watch what he said in the entertainment industry. Now, he said, he enjoys speaking freely. «Years ago, when I went on this path to be more vocal and outspoken, I knew that stuff was going to go away. But man, let me tell you what freedom feels like,» he said. «To be able to speak your mind anywhere, anytime and really exercise … the freedom of speech that so many brave souls died for, to be able to express that, when I want and how I want and not have to worry about anything in between. No radio station. No corporate deal or show or anything, you know … it's just the biggest, most awesome feeling of freedom that one could ever imagine.»
His next move, he said, is not about winning back Hollywood. It is about faith, forgiveness and a rock 'n' roll revival. His new album, «Halfway 2 Jesus,» blends Christian themes with high-energy rock and features a collaboration with his friend of nearly 40 years, Eminem, who has publicly criticized Trump. Kid Rock said Eminem's criticism of the president tested their relationship, particularly after the rapper attacked Trump in a performance at the 2017 BET Hip Hop Awards. «There's been moments when, yeah, friendships have been tested. With Eminem, it would probably be, you know, when he did the thing at the BET Awards, where he's just going hard in the paint against Trump,» Kid Rock said.
He said he ultimately respected his longtime friend's right to express his views despite their political differences. «At the end of the day, I looked at it like, man, that's his truth. That's how he feels,» he said. «I genuinely don't like people talking about my friends in a bad way, and I'm very quick to defend them, family and friends. But when you're in the political arena, that's a whole different ballgame.» In the foreword to «Halfway 2 Jesus,» Kid Rock said he hopes their friendship serves as an example for people whose political differences have strained personal relationships. «We differ politically and on other things, but we've stayed friends through it all,» he wrote. «We hope that sets an example for people who've lost friends or stopped talking to family because they think differently.»
The album, he said, grew out of a deepening faith following the September 2025 assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Kid Rock said he attended Kirk's memorial with his son and was moved by Kirk's widow, Erika, who publicly forgave the man accused of killing her husband. «When Erika got up there and forgave his murderer, about dropped me to my knees,» he said. «It just brought tears to my eyes that someone could be that forgiving and I just started to become closer in my faith, pray a little bit more, pay attention to things around me.» In the foreword, he described the project as «a collection of songs I'd want to hear at a Saturday night revival: people drinking beer, having a great time, and celebrating our Lord and Savior. Positive messages and a full-on rock concert.»