RHOSLC Star Meredith Marks Addresses Macklemore Row, Palestine Stance

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Meredith Marks shared her political opinions in a candid interview Friday.

The 54-year-old Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star was asked about entertainers—including singer Macklemore, 43, who recently shouted “Free Palestine” during a concert—using their platforms to make political statements. Meredith took the opportunity to criticize President Donald Trump, 80, delivering a pointed version of her signature phrase: “You can leave!” She also addressed her position on Palestine.

Meredith discussed Macklemore’s remarks while playing “Bump It or Dump It” with The Recount on September 18. The question also referenced the musician’s removal from Ed Sheeran’s U.S. tour and whether performers should speak out politically despite the possible impact on their careers.

“I think that’s kind of a mini bump,” Meredith said. “I think that’s a personal decision. I would not personally be expressing political views at something that was meant to be entertainment. I just think that’s not my thing. But to each his own on that one.”

When asked whether she would pay $80,000—the price reportedly charged at some fundraisers—for a photograph with President Trump, Meredith made her answer clear: She would not spend anything.

“We’re dumping it. You’d have to pay me to take the photo, and I still wouldn’t take it with him,” she said.

Meredith also weighed in on Trump’s efforts to rename landmarks, including the Gulf of America and Lake America.

“We gotta dump it. It’s a weird naming obsession going on, and yes, I still refer to the airport in Palm Beach as Palm Beach International [instead of President Donald J. Trump International Airport] as well,” she said.

Asked what she would say to the president if given the chance, Meredith offered a blunt response: “Stop the grifting. Everything is like a manipulation. How about just, ‘You can leave.’”

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Meredith, whose 27-year-old son Brooks Marks is gay, was equally direct when discussing politicians who oppose LGBTQ rights.

“We’re calling that out. We’re bumping it,” she said. “I think it’s an important issue … Obviously, it’s a community that I love and care about, but above all that, it’s not just about LGBTQ; it’s about people having the right to exist and be who they are. Period.”

During the conversation, Meredith was also asked whether political differences could lead her to end a friendship.

“I hate to say it, but sometimes you have to bump it on that. There are certain things I just can’t accept,” she explained. “I think it depends on what the political issues are. If we’re talking about, like, human rights, yeah, we’re done. There’s nowhere to go.”

After the interview was shared, Meredith clarified her position on Palestine and the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in a comment.

“For those of you who are unclear about my very clear stance that I have said several times, I do not believe in the taking of innocent lives. Not Palestinians, not Jews, not Israeli’s, or anybody else. I believe in spreading love, not hatred,” she wrote.

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City season seven airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on Bravo.