Republican strategists and vanquished presidential wannabes take heart: Not even a genius like Stephen Hawking can explain how Donald Trump became the presumptive GOP presidential nominee. Granted, Hawking's expertise is theoretical physics, not politics, but he's clearly following the U.S. presidential race. When ITV's Good Morning Britain asked Hawking if he could explain Trump's popular appeal, Hawking said: "I can't. He is a demagogue, who seems to appeal to the lowest common denominator." Hawking has previously cast doubt on Trump's intelligence.
In the interview, airing on British TV Tuesday morning, Hawking also made his case for Britain staying the European Union, a question that will be put to British voters in June. "Gone are the days we could stand on our own, against the world," he said. "We need to be part of a larger group of nations, both for our security, and our trade." Hawking, paralyzed due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease, is bound to a wheelchair and has to speak through a voice synthesizer.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
5 exclusive cartoons about Trump and Putin negotiating peaceCartoons Artists take on alternative timelines, missing participants, and more
-
The AI arms raceTalking Point The fixation on AI-powered economic growth risks drowning out concerns around the technology which have yet to be resolved
-
Why Jannik Sinner's ban has divided the tennis worldIn the Spotlight The timing of the suspension handed down to the world's best male tennis player has been met with scepticism
-
Mitch McConnell won't seek reelectionSpeed Read The longest-serving Senate party leader is retiring
-
Trump reportedly wants to take over US Postal ServiceSpeed Read President Trump is making plans to disband the leadership of USPS and absorb the agency into his administration
-
Trump seeks to end New York's congestion pricingSpeed Read The MTA quickly filed a lawsuit to stop the move
-
Trump officials try to reverse DOGE-led firingsSpeed Read Mass firings by Elon Musk's team have included employees working on the H5N1 bird flu epidemic and US nuclear weapons programs
-
Trump blames Ukraine for war after US-Russia talksSpeed Read The US and Russia have agreed to work together on ending the Ukraine war — but President Trump has flipped America's approach
-
Musk's DOGE seeks access to IRS, Social Security filesSpeed Read If cleared, the Department of Government Efficiency would have access to tax returns, bank records and other highly personal information about most Americans
-
Senate confirms RFK Jr. as health secretarySpeed Read The noted vaccine skeptic is now in charge of America's massive public health system
-
Trump lays out plans for broad 'reciprocal' tariffsSpeed Read Tariffs imposed on countries that are deemed to be treating the US unfairly could ignite a global trade war and worsen American inflation
