METALLICA's LARS ULRICH On Whom He Would Vote For In 2020 U.S. Presidential Election: 'Fans...

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METALLICA's Lars Ulrich has once clarified a comment he made in a 2016 interview, that he would consider moving back to his native Denmark if Trump were elected president. "I am a hundred percent Danish citizen. I pay taxes in the U.S.A., but I can't vote in America," Lars said at the time. "Yes, certainly sometimes I think about moving home to Denmark… If Trump becomes President and everything goes to shit, I might make my way to the airport and ask if I can get back in again." In a brand new interview with U.K.'s Sky News, Ulrich was asked if the fact that he has remained in the U.S. means that he is now a Trump supporter and that he will vote for him. The drummer replied (see video below): "I would say that that would be an exaggeration of the truth. First of all, I'm a Danish citizen, so I can't vote in the United States. Number two, I was just seeing if people were paying attention, which, obviously, they were four years ago, since this quote has come back to haunt me in, basically, every interview I've done in the last month. So, let's just leave it at that I'm a Danish citizen, I can't vote, but I am happy to live in the United States. And I think that's enough on that." Pressed about whom he would vote for if he was an American citizen, Ulrich said: "I think people that know me well, and fans out there, can probably put two and two together." Both Ulrich and METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett have previously voiced their dislike of Trump to different degrees, unusual for a band whose members have never spoken out much on politics. Ulrich told Mexico's Las Estrellas television network about Trump's plan to build "a great wall" along the U.S.-Mexico border: "I don't think the world needs any walls. I think we need to bring people together. METALLICA travels all over the world, and through music we try to bring people together. So whether we're in Mexico or whether we're in Asia or whether we're in Europe or whatever, we encourage as many different people from as many different backgrounds to come together and share music and life and culture and all these experiences." After Trump — one of the most polarizing figures to assume the office — was officially sworn in as the 45th president of the United States in January 2017, a number of celebrities took to social media to share their thoughts, including Hammett, who urged fans to "defend democracy" and "reject American carnage." In a series of tweets, the METALLICA guitarist was critical of Trump's inaugural address, which painted a bleak picture of life for some in the United States. "To say America is not great, that it lacks greatness, sets up a scenario for manipulation and control from others — pay attention, people!" Hammett wrote. Three years ago, METALLICA frontman James Hetfield said he wanted to keep his opinion about President Donald Trump to himself, explaining that politics "polarizes people." Hetfield told the Chilean newspaper La Tercera: "I hate politics. I don't wanna talk about politics. It's not important to me. What's important to me is connecting people with music. Politics, religion… they separate people. I love talking about it and my thoughts, but I think it gets in the way of people getting to understand all of you." Hetfield added: "I have no idea. I could probably sit down and like everyone on the planet, if you get to talk with them and understand them. "But, yeah, politics, we try to stay away from that 'cause it polarizes people. If I sit here and say that I hate Trump or I love Trump, someone will think, 'Oh, I don't like his music anymore.' It's silly. So I like to keep it about music." Asked if he thinks America under Donald Trump is a "new America," Hetfield responded: "It's always a new America when someone comes in. But it's about balance. You have far left, far right, and it goes back and forth to keep it balanced. In the middle is the best, we know that. In the middle… accepting everything, understanding everything. But it's not like that. People aren't like that. Humans aren't like that."

“If you were a US citizen who would you be voting for?”@Larsulrich: “I think fans who know me well can probably put two & two together.”

4 years ago Metallica’s drummer said he’d return to Denmark if Trump won the election, but he’s staying put for now. JM#KayBurley pic.twitter.com/uknXggXXQw — Kay Burley (@KayBurley) September 3, 2020​

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