Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem lashed out at country star Zach Bryan over his new song Bad News, which contains anti-ICE lyrics.
The Grammy-winning country music star found himself in hot water with members of Donald Trump‘s administration after he released a snippet of the then-untitled song on Instagram earlier this week.
In the clip, the 29-year-old slams Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids as he sings about policing and scared children, prompting many on the right to clap back and forcing Bryan to address the controversy.
The Department of Homeland Security’s Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs, Tricia McLaughlin, has already mocked Bryan for the tune. She said he should “stick to Pink Skies,” referencing Bryan’s famous song about children who make their way back home to their parents and tell them they’re proud of how they grew up.
On Tuesday, Noem continued to slam the track during a conversation with MAGA commentator Benny Johnson.
She said, “You know, I heard that and listened to a little bit of it and was extremely disappointed and disheartened, and actually, I hope he understands how completely disrespectful that song is, not just to law enforcement but to this country.
“To every single individual that has ever stood up and fought for our freedoms, he just compromised it all by putting out a product such as that, that attacks individuals who were just trying to make our streets safe.”
Noem, who was visiting an ICE facility in Portland after federal agents arrested several undocumented migrants, added, “Zach, I didn’t listen to your music. I’m happy about that today.
“Today, that makes me very happy that I never once gave you a single penny to enrich your lifestyle if you truly believe what that song stands for.”
She added, “But I am going to go out and probably download some Jason Aldean songs, John Rich songs, John Hardy, Kid Rock, any of those guys. Those guys know what it means to stand up for freedom. So I’m glad I didn’t waste any money on that.”
DON’T MISS:
Zach Bryan starts war with fans as he vows to ‘never play in Kansas City’ again
Zach Bryan dubbed ‘scary’ for mocking ex in back and fourth social media spat
Zach Bryan’s rumored fling has striking resemblance to his ex-girlfriend
Bryan’s lyrics read, “I heard the cops came / Cocky motherf——, ain’t they? / And ICE is gonna come bust down your door.”
Other lyrics include, “The middlе fingers rising, and it won’t stop showing / Got some bad news / Thе fading of the red, white and blue.”
On Tuesday, Bryan, a Navy veteran, addressed the controversy and reassured his fans that he remains a proud Veteran and loves his country.
He posted a screenshot of a message titled “On the ‘new’ song” on his Instagram Story, urging his followers to “pls f—-n read this.”
In the message, he wrote, “I wrote this song months ago. I posted this song three months ago as a snippet. This shows you how divisive a narrative can be when shoved down our throats through social media.”
He added, “This song is about how much I love this country and everyone in it more than anything.”
The message continued, “When you hear the rest of the song, you will understand the full context that hits on both sides of the aisle. Everyone using this now as a weapon is only proving how devastatingly divisive we all are. We need to find our way back.”
Before launching his music career, Bryan served as an active-duty member of the United States Navy for eight years, enlisting at just 17-years-old.
During his military service, he achieved the rank of Aviation Ordnanceman Second Class (AO2).
Reflecting on his military service, Bryan wrote, “I served this country, I love this country, and the song itself is all about all of us coming out of this divided space. I wasn’t speaking as a politician or some greater-than-thou a—–e, just a 29-year-old man who is just as confused as everyone else.”
Discussing his political views, the Something in the Orange singer added, “To see how much s–t it stirred up makes me not only embarrassed but kind of scared. Left wing or right wing, we’re all one bird and American. To be clear, I’m neither of these radical sides.”
He concluded his message with, “To all those disappointed in me on either side of whatever you believe in just know I’m trying my best too and we all say things that are misconstrued sometimes. Everyone have a great day and I love each and every one of ya!!!”
In a subsequent post, Bryan revealed that he has been “scrutinized by more people” than he ever imagined possible in recent months.