After teasing a controversial new single earlier this week that takes aim at America's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), country singer Zach Bryan is facing the wrath of the Trump administration.
Bryan posted a snippet of the as-yet-named song to his social media over the weekend, which featured lyrics seemingly criticising ICE raids in the US.
ICE's activity has intensified under Trump's leadership, particularly in Chicago recently, with more than 1,000 immigrants arrested since the crackdown kicked off last month.
Trump has also vowed to deploy National Guard troops as part of his administration's crackdown on crime and immigration, which has been attracting major backlash from critics.
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As tensions deepen, it looks like country star Bryan has decided to condemn the move in the lyrics to one of his upcoming tracks.
In a voice note post shared to Instagram on Friday (3 October), the 29-year-old singer could be heard belting out the words: "I heard the cops came / Cocky motherf*****s, ain’t they?"
Elsewhere in the as-yet-unnamed track, Bryan goes on to savagely call out the federal agency behind ongoing raids, singing: "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."
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Another line, seemingly aimed at Trump's recent deployment of the National Guard to take on his mass deportation mission, heard the Oklahoma star warn his fans: "The middle finger’s rising, and it won’t stop showing / Got some bad news / The fading of the red, white and blue."
Fans react to Zach Bryan's ICE lyrics
Bryan's stance seemed to come as something of a surprise to many music fans, given country music's long-standing association with conservative belief systems.
It is largely believed, for reference, that part of this affiliation is due to the genre's popularity in Southern states, as well as its recurring themes of traditional values, religious faith and patriotism.
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"I'm not a fan of Zach Bryan by any means but calling out ICE in a song as one of the biggest modern country artists is actually huge," one social media user gushed in response to the track.
Another added: "Hell yeah man. This is a brave stance knowing how country listeners swing."
What has the Trump administration said?
Apparently, however, not every country music fan was thrilled by Bryan's message, with Kristi Noem, the US' Homeland Security Secretary, claiming she was 'disheartened' after listening to the number.
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"I hope he understands how completely disrespectful that song is, not just to law enforcement but to this country," Noem told conservative podcaster Benny Johnson on Tuesday (7 October). "To every single individual that has stood up and fought for our freedoms."
Noem went on to add of Bryan: "He just compromised it all by putting out a product such as that, that attacks individuals who are just trying to make our streets safe."
Despite expressing her 'disappointment', the 53-year-old couldn't help but fire a series of insults in the musician's direction.
"Zach, I didn’t listen to your music. I’m happy about that today," Noem continued.
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"That makes me very happy that I never gave you a single penny to enrich your lifestyle, if you truly believe what that song stands for."
She then went on to credit a number of other country singers - the likes of Jason Aldean, John Rich, Jon Pardi and Kid Rock - claiming they know what it is 'to stand up to freedom'.
Taking a strong opposition to Bryan's stance, Noem went on to say: "That’s what’s so special about law enforcement, is that they don’t pick and choose who they defend when they do their jobs.
"They will even defend and protect people that don’t respect them or stand up for them so that’s who I’ll point to when I tell my grandkids to grow up like someone."
Has Zach Bryan responded to the backlash?
In response to his song's mixed response, Bryan has since provided his fans with an update, insisting he honestly didn't intend to inflict insult, adding that he's on 'neither of these radical sides'.
"When you hear the rest of the song, you will understand the full context that hits on both sides of the aisle," he warned in an Instagram statement on Tuesday. "Everyone using this now as a weapon is only proving how devastatingly divided we all are. We need to find our way back.
"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**hole, just a 29-year-old man who is just as confused as everyone else."
The artist went on to admit: "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 all those disappointed in me on either side of whatever you believe in, just know I’m trying to do my best too and we all say things that are misconstrued sometimes."
Bryan concluded his passionate update by recalling: "The last few months of my life I’ve been scrutinized by more people than I ever thought possible.
"I feel like I’ve tried my hardest in so many ways and it’s so hard to see where my bearings even are anymore. Been falling off a cliff while trying to grow wings at the same time."
He lastly insisted: "I am SO proud to have served in a country where we can all speak freely and converse amongst each other without getting doxxed or accosted on the internet or worse; the violence and heartbreak we’ve faced in the last few months!”
Topics: Politics, US News, Donald Trump, Music, Celebrity
Rhianna Benson