Country artist Zach Bryan has reacted to significant backlash from a song he released, which seemed to take aim at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
After sharing a clip of the song on his Instagram, Bryan faced sharp criticism, particularly from right-leaning individuals, including Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.
“When you see how bad it caused something, it’s not only embarrassing, it’s a little scary,” she remarked during an interview.
Noem expressed relief that she hadn’t previously listened to Bryan’s music, stating, “I’m so glad I didn’t give you a dime to enrich your lifestyle.”
Later, in a podcast discussion with Benny Johnson, she elaborated, highlighting the song’s disrespect toward law enforcement and those who safeguard the nation’s freedoms. “He just put everything at risk by launching a product attacking those making our cities safe,” she added.
On Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security’s social media accounts even mocked Bryan with a video featuring one of his songs to emphasize ICE’s efforts.
Bryan, a military veteran, addressed the criticism in a video he shared on Instagram that same day.
“I’ve served this country and I love this country,” he shared. “The song talks about how we can come together from a divided place. I’m just a confused 29-year-old, not a politician or someone acting superior,” he conveyed.
He mentioned that witnessing the backlash was both “embarrassing” and “kind of scary.”
Bryan then clarified that the song was crafted months prior. “This song is about my love for this country and everyone in it. If you listen closely, you’ll catch the context relevant to both sides of the discussion,” he said. “Using this as a weapon only highlights how drastically divided we are. We really need to figure out a way to reunite.”
