Editing Meat Loaf (section)

===Politics===
====Political affiliations====
Meat Loaf was not officially registered with any political party. In 1997, he performed at an [[United States presidential inaugural balls|inaugural ball]] during the [[second inauguration of Bill Clinton]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/inaug/events/postball.htm |title=All Across City, Celebration at Balls |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=January 21, 1997 |archive-date=November 5, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191105032842/https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/inaug/events/postball.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> and attended the [[first inauguration of George W. Bush]] in 2001.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2001-01-21/a-whirlwind-tour-of-inauguration-day |title=A Whirlwind Tour of Inauguration Day |work=[[Bloomberg News]] |date=January 21, 2001 |url-access=subscription |archive-date=August 10, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180810114325/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2001-01-21/a-whirlwind-tour-of-inauguration-day |url-status=live}}</ref> He donated to the presidential campaigns of Republican candidates [[Rick Santorum]] and [[John McCain]], the latter of whom became the party's nominee in the [[2008 United States presidential election]].<ref name=endorses>{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/blogs/click/2012/10/meat-loaf-endorses-mitt-romney-147330 |title=Meat Loaf endorses Mitt Romney |first=CAITLIN |last=MCDEVITT |work=[[Politico]] |date=October 26, 2012 |archive-date=January 24, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124000807/https://www.politico.com/blogs/click/2012/10/meat-loaf-endorses-mitt-romney-147330 |url-status=live}}</ref>

On October 25, 2012, Meat Loaf endorsed [[Mitt Romney]] for president, citing poor [[Russia–United States relations]] as a major reason he had been "arguing for Mitt Romney for a year."<ref name=Mitt>{{Cite news |last=Hohmann |first=James |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2012/10/meat-loaf-and-mitt-082911 |title=Meat Loaf and Mitt |work=[[Politico]] |date=October 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121027100139/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1012/82911.html |archive-date=October 27, 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> He said, "I have never been in any political agenda in my life, but I think that in 2012 this is the most important election in the history of the United States." He then said there are "storm clouds" over the United States and "thunder storms" over Europe: "There are hail storms – and I mean major hail storms! – in the Middle East. There are storms brewing through China, through Asia, through everywhere."<ref name=Mitt/> The same day, he performed "[[America the Beautiful]]" standing next to Romney.<ref name=endorses/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2012/10/25/meatloaf-endorses-romney-in-ohio/ |title=Meat Loaf endorses Romney in Ohio |date=October 25, 2012 |first=Philip |last=Rucker |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url-access=limited |archive-date=April 9, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130409011454/http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2012/10/25/meatloaf-endorses-romney-in-ohio/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

In a 2017 interview with ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'', he made positive remarks about President [[Donald Trump]], [[Ivanka Trump]], and [[Donald Trump Jr.]]; they had worked together on ''[[The Celebrity Apprentice]]'' in 2011.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Meat Loaf Talks 'Bat Out of Hell' Musical & Why President Trump Is 'Intelligent' |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/meat-loaf-bat-out-of-hell-musical-interview-7817657/ |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |archive-date=January 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127011821/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/8013905/meat-loaf-bat-out-of-hell-musical-interview |url-status=live}}</ref> When asked during an episode of ''The Celebrity Apprentice'' if he would vote for Trump, Meat Loaf said: "I would vote for you. In fact, I'll help you with your campaign.". Though months after that, according to a 2020 interview, he had a confrontation with Trump over a response to a journalist implying that Trump would be better as a financial advisor than a president. He recalls saying "You’re not running for President, back off man!" and said of the event "I stood up to him because I’m really not afraid of him".<ref name=rift/><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Meat Loaf: 'I'm not afraid of him' music icon on furious row with Donald Trump |url=https://www.express.co.uk/celebrity-news/1225696/Meat-Loaf-Donald-Trump-argument-Apprentice-president-news-latest-update |magazine=[[Daily Express|Express]] |archive-date=September 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240911235127/https://www.express.co.uk/celebrity-news/1225696/Meat-Loaf-Donald-Trump-argument-Apprentice-president-news-latest-update |url-status=live}}</ref>

====Climate change views====
Meat Loaf said that he did not believe in climate change.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2020/01/04/meat-loaf-here-are-his-claims-about-greta-thunberg-and-climate-change/ |title=Meat Loaf: Here Are His Claims About Greta Thunberg And Climate Change |first=Bruce Y. |last=Lee |work=[[Forbes]] |date=January 4, 2020 |url-access=limited |archive-date=January 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220123213326/https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2020/01/04/meat-loaf-here-are-his-claims-about-greta-thunberg-and-climate-change/ |url-status=live}}</ref> In an interview with the ''[[Daily Mail]]'' in 2020, he called [[Greta Thunberg]] "brainwashed" due to her views on climate change, saying: "I feel for that Greta. She has been brainwashed into thinking that there is climate change and there isn't. She hasn't done anything wrong but she's been forced into thinking that what she is saying is true.”<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Meat Loaf Claims Greta Thunberg Has Been 'Brainwashed' |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/meat-loaf-greta-thunberg-brainwashed-8547289/8 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |archive-date=January 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121232112/https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/meat-loaf-greta-thunberg-brainwashed-8547289/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

====Criticism of COVID-19 rules====
He was critical of the [[COVID-19 lockdowns]] during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], telling the ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]'' in August 2021: "I hug people in the middle of COVID ... I understood stopping life for a little while, but they cannot continue to stop life because of politics." He opposed [[mask mandate]]s and described a person who called for people on airplanes to wear masks as a "[[Nazism|Nazi]]" and "power-mad." Meat Loaf then said: "If I die, I die, but I'm not going to be controlled."<ref>{{cite news |last=Mervis |first=Scott |title=Q&A with Meat Loaf: Unable to perform, the rocker pays a visit to Steel City Con |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/ae/music/2021/08/09/Meat-Loaf-Steel-City-Con-Pittsburgh-interview-Bat-Out-of-Hell-Jim-Steinman-2021/stories/202108090006 |work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |date=August 9, 2021 |archive-date=January 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121235215/https://www.post-gazette.com/ae/music/2021/08/09/Meat-Loaf-Steel-City-Con-Pittsburgh-interview-Bat-Out-of-Hell-Jim-Steinman-2021/stories/202108090006 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite news |last=Cummings |first=Tommy |date=January 21, 2022 |title=Meat Loaf, the Dallas-born 'Bat Out of Hell' rocker, dies at 74 |work=[[The Dallas Morning News]] |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/arts-entertainment/music/2022/01/21/meat-loaf-the-dallas-raised-bat-out-of-hell-rocker-dies-at-74/ |archive-date=January 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121232119/https://www.dallasnews.com/arts-entertainment/music/2022/01/21/meat-loaf-the-dallas-raised-bat-out-of-hell-rocker-dies-at-74/ |url-status=live}}</ref> While no official cause of death has been announced, it is speculated that he did die of COVID-19.<ref>https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/meat-loaf-us-singer-dies-facebook-statement-b977966.html </ref>