Paul McCartney has already made his feelings about Donald Trump clear

Environmentalist Sir Paul shared his true thoughts when speaking about the newly-elected president

Donald Trump will be returning to the White House in January having won the US presidential election earlier this week. The 78-year-old property magnate comprehensively defeated Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in what many expected to be a close-run race.

Mr Trump was president from 2017 to 2021 and his first term in office was defined by reactionary and nationalist policies, including a travel ban from a number of countries in the Middle East, rolling back LGBT rights and downplaying the danger of the coronavirus pandemic. The president-elect is also viewed as a climate sceptic and he withdrew the USA from the Paris climate agreement in 2020.

It was over the issue of the climate that led Beatles legend Paul McCartney, who has long been an environmentalist, to call the 45th president a "mad captain". The musician gave a 2018 interview with the BBC about his album 'Egypt Station', which included the track 'Despite Repeated Warnings', which is about climate deniers.

Sir Paul told the BBC: "People who deny climate change... I just think it's the most stupid thing ever. So I just wanted to make a song that would talk about that and basically say, occasionally, we've got a mad captain sailing this boat we're all on and he is just going to take us to the iceberg [despite] being warned it's not a cool idea.'"

Asked who the 'mad captain' could be, the star said: "Well, I mean obviously it's Trump but there's plenty of them about. He's not the only one."

There are fears that Mr Trump's election will cause further damage to the climate. In response to Donald Trump being named president-elect, Greenpeace USA executive director Sushma Raman said: "The uncertainty, turbulence, and vitriol over the past several months pale in comparison to an election outcome that has devastating implications for our individual rights and freedoms, the health of our democracy, and the future of our planet."

Ms Raman added: "As an environmental and climate justice organization, we must resist attempts to roll back environmental and climate protections in place—plans that have been clearly outlined in the Project 2025 blueprint. We must lean into the intersections between climate justice and democracy protection, given the increasing attacks on freedoms of speech, assembly, and association.

"Resistance to the Trump agenda and advancement of a progressive vision for the United States and the world are key for our organization’s relevance and survival in 2025 and beyond. Now is the time to move forward in a united manner with creativity, courage, and boldness."