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DHS Secretary Noem Slams Country Artist Zach Bryan Over Controversial Lyrics
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem has publicly criticized country music artist Zach Bryan, calling a portion of his upcoming song “disrespectful” for lyrics that appear to target Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Secretary Noem voiced her strong disapproval during an appearance on “The Benny Johnson Show” on Tuesday. “I hope he understands how completely disrespectful that song is, not just to law enforcement but to this country,” Noem stated, expressing her disappointment with Bryan’s lyrical content.
The controversy stems from a snippet of Bryan’s forthcoming song, “Bad News,” which he shared on Instagram on October 3. The short preview includes lines that reference law enforcement and ICE operations:
“My friends are all degenerates, but they’re all I got, the generational story of dropping the plot. I heard the cops came, Cocky motherf—–s, ain’t they? And ICE is gonna come bust down your door, try to build a house no one builds no more, but I got a telephone, Kids are all scared and all alone.”
The snippet concludes with a stanza that reads, “The bar stopped bumping, the rock stopped rolling, the middle finger’s rising, and it won’t stop showing. Got some bad news, the fading of the red, white, and blue.”
Noem further elaborated on her dismay, claiming Bryan had compromised the efforts of those who “stand up and fought for our freedoms” by “attacking individuals who are just trying to make our streets safe.” She also highlighted her personal decision not to support Bryan financially, adding, “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.” The Secretary suggested she would instead opt to listen to artists like Jason Aldean or John Rich, whom she believes “know what it means to stand for freedom.”
In a notable response, the DHS itself took to social media, sharing a video of ICE operations set to the tune of Bryan’s other popular song, “Revival,” seemingly mocking the artist.
Zach Bryan has since addressed the backlash in an Instagram post, suggesting the controversy highlights America’s divisive climate. “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 wrote on Tuesday.
Bryan promised that the full song, upon its release, would offer “more context that hits on both sides of the aisle.” He concluded by stating, “I served this country, I love this country and the song itself is about all of us coming out of this divided space.
I wasn’t speaking as a politician or some greater-than-thou a——, just a 29-year-old man who is just as confused as everyone else.”